Bamboo caps a hit in Adilabad

A creative primitive tribal Sidam Gangu, 40, of Bhimjiguda of Narnoor mandal in Adilabad district, become an entrepreneur sort by selling the caps decorated with radium tapes each for Rs 40 to Rs 50.

He had expertise in making different types of caps with bamboo and selling in the weekly shandies and there is good demand for these caps in the wake of soaring temperatures.

Illiterate Sidam Gangu said he would make more caps if, ITDA, Utnoor will extend help as caps made of bamboo will naturally protect the people from the hot sun as Bamboo will not absorb heat and disseminate like cloth or other material.

He said there was good demand for his caps made of Bamboo and people especially youth are asking for caps as they feel these caps will give them a different look like a cowboy.

Gangu is selling the bamboo caps with added colors at Sangvi and Narnoor and Lokari and people more fonder them after a good word was spread among the people about his caps and he is looking to helping hand from the officials to make them on the higher number.

Gangu has become a familiar face among the Adivasis in the villages in Lokari area and even strangers can find his home easily.

Generally, Adivasis of primitive Kolam Tribal Group make their living on making baskets, mats, and other items use in the day to day life and collecting minor forest produce from the nearby forests.

Adivasi Kolams lives in interior areas in the forests by avoiding mingling with the non- tribals. It is surprising to note that even the Kolam Adivasi families live as a separate entity at some places though they live on the fringes of the Adivasi Gond gudem.

Kolam Gudems are independent in nature on various accounts. Kolams are more creative in making items with Bamboo they collect from the forests and they have their own set of rituals and festivals. 

Leafy vegetables in good demand as mercury rises

Leafy vegetables are in good demand in the wake of hot summer. The prices of leafy vegetables increased two folds and also their sales as they are popular Chaluva Akukuralu (cool leafy vegetable).

People preferring green leafy vegetables more in the hot summer as they contain water quantity and that keeps the body cool. People are purchasing more leafy vegetable such as Gangavailikura and two varieties of Thotakura these days. These vegetables are popular as summer leafy vegetables.

Ramagiri Rajalingu, a roadside vender at Ichoda, said he sells nearly 100 bundles of ‘Gangavailikura’ alone per day besides other leafy vegetables and people asking for leafy vegetables more as temperatures rise. ‘He sells two bundles of Gangavailikura for Rs 15.'

Farmers are growing leafy vegetables during summer on seeing the demand for them and getting good profits when compared to other crops, but irrigation facility is vital to growing these leafy vegetables.

Curry with Gangavaili leafs mixed with mango is popular as it gives different taste beside the water content.

Vegetable cultivation is picking up in Utnoor division and Adilabad divisions. But, most of the farmers who grow vegetables are not getting good prices while middlemen are making brisk business.

Growing the vegetables to meet the demand is very important otherwise the prices will fall when there is good yield like tomato. Most of the tomato farmers had incurred huge loss, as there was no price.

Some of the farmers even left their standing tomato crop for cattle grazing, as they were not even getting money equivalent to their transportation charges when they sell the tomato.

Attendance down at 40% in state schools

 Students in vacation mood 

Student’s attendance in government schools and hostels has dropped to 40 percent in the last one week as students went to their schools in a vacation mood. 

The director of school education institutions regarding dates new academic calendar year has created a lot of confusion among the students, teachers and parents.

The previous academic year is only being continued due to lack of availability of new textbooks instead upgrading the students to higher class. The students will come to school even summer if given new textbooks as they are excited about them but now students are sitting idle in the classrooms without textbooks of higher class to read or write.       

Private school managements are teaching using private textbooks to their students aginst the government instructions.             

Most of the students feel that schools are being running without giving them new books and just keeping them idle in classrooms. Some of the parents are also not sending their children to schools in view of hot summer. 

Some teachers are providing the books for the seniors’ books to juniors and taking classes.

Large numbers of students staying in SC, ST and BC hostels have been vacating the hostels for the last 10 days just after writing examinations as these days is summer holidays for many students.

The director of the school education has failed to implement the new academic year as planned from March 21 and declare the summer holidays April 23 instead postponed the beginning of the new academic year from June 13. The director of school education has advanced the academic calendar year one month on the lines of CBSE. 

But it is surprising to note that majority of the private schools have started  the new academic year as per the previous instructions issued by the director of school education.       

Teachers have become helpless and are simply following the instruction given by the director of schools education regarding new academic calendar year and also these days will be considered as working days in the academic year for them.

However, the director of school education seems to have backtracked on its earlier decision to implement the new academic year on the lines of CBSE.

Government teacher Rakesh Kumar of Adilabad has observed that director of school education decisions further weakens the school and government education instead of strengthening them while extending a helping hand to private schools.

Students breathe easy

Parents of the school children of Adilabad who are worried over fulltime school in the blazing summer are relived from the pressure of sending their children to full time school.

The school education department is reportedly backtracking on its earlier decision to run fully time school as per changed academic calendar.

However, orders to this effect have not yet been received by the district education officer.

Adlabad is witnessing highest temperature that is 37 to 38 degree Celsius in the state.

It is learnt that, department of school education reportedly took a decision not to conduct two time school taking lack of amenities like fans, drinking water facilities at many schools into consideration in addition to the opposition from parents and teachers unions. 

Now, the school timings will be 8 am to 12.30 noon for half day schools.

State government has backtracked on its decision to run two time school in the summer in the wake of hot summer and suspecting that students may suffer from hot summer.

News is making rounds that the previous pattern of academic calendar will be continued in the next academic year too.

Actually, the director of school education was in the process of changing the academic calendar year on par with the CBSE. The director of school education has issued new academic calendar with full time school scheduled March 21 to April 23. The previous academic year will be ended March 15 and holiday will be given till March 19.

During the four days holidays, teachers have to evaluate the exam papers and prepare progress card report and issue it to the students on the reopening of the schools on March 20.

New academic year will begin from March 21 and school will continue till April 23.Term holidays will be given till June 12 and school will be reopened on June13.

Inter and SSC students to face March heat

Intermediate and SSC students, who will appear examinations scheduled to begin on March 2 and 21 respectively, will face the brunt of the summer when temperatures may touch 45 degree Celsius.

It will be an uncomfortable time for them, writing exams in the heat, which has already set in. Parents are worried about this and likelihood of power cuts.

Shahid Ahmed Tavakkal of Adilabad town said that the family was taking all precautionary measures to ensure that his son takes the exam in a clam and stress-free state of mind.

‘Most of the parents are worried about the heat in March , he observed , but expected that drinking water and primary medical treatment facilities would be provided at examination centres as prevention against the diarrhea or sunstroke.

The education department has not received any special instructions regarding making special arrangements at examination centres to stave off the side effects of the heat. 

They have only general instructions regarding provision of furniture for students to write examinations without difficulty.

As many as total 43,291 including 37,439 regular and 5,852 private students will attend SSC examinations at 204 examination centres. Section 144 will be imposed around the examination centres in the district.     

Tents replacing traditional 'Pandiri'

Traditional ‘pandiri’ (makeshift shamiana)) covered with the branches of sacred trees as a shelter helps the marriage parties keep their cool even under the blazing sun.

People in villages performed weddings at home instead of marriage halls. The pandiri covered with pala poruka gives coolness. 

According to tradition, people erect a pandiri with wooden poles and place the branches of the three trees that are popularly known as pala poruka. It is a fast disappearing tradition with the easy availability of several other options from makeshift tents to marriage halls.

The bridal couples’ families used to put up a new pandiri in front of their house for the marriage. Branches of the Medi or Allaneredi trees are collected from the forests in bullock carts and the cart loaded with the branches of the pala poruka is brought to the house amidst the accompanying band of musicians. 

Ada Rajanna of Ankoli village in Adilabad mandal who supplies pala poruka for marriages said it is used for making shamianas since time immemorial and was considered auspicious. Getting pala poruka in the jungles these days has become difficult due to deforestation, said Rajanna and added that they have to go to long distances to find Medi, Allaneredi trees in the forests unlike in the past.

Providing accommodation was difficult for the large number of people in the villages in summer so the pandiri works as a shelter. There are some rituals should be followed even for removing that pandiri after completing the marriage. But hardly any people opt for this preferring the convenience of city amenities.

Lekkalwar Shankar of Adilabad town said even the shed of the height and distance to be erected in front of the house where marriage taking place is decided to match the size of the house. The pandiri is erected only after performing the traditional ritual of sare.