Emails from Sr. Jacky, updating us on Kodai Kanal's progress
Sr. Jacky, the Headmistress keeps us up to date as to progress (or lack of!) and these are excerpts from her emails:-
June 2009 - Exam results for 10th standard children. "Our children did very well. All of them passed and the first mark is 454. The whole city is in surprise because no other school in Kodai has got centum (100%) in 10th std result.” (No other school had all children pass this ‘school leaver’s certificate’ exam.)
August 2009 - “We had asked one of the agencies to help us. They have not sent us the money yet. But it has promised that it would help us around 40 lakhs. (£50,000.) But my difficulty is now all the materials hocked so high (inflation has pushed up prices) and for the 14 classrooms, plus 4 office rooms, staffroom, headmistress’ office and one more room it goes up to one and a half crore. We are in need of 24 rooms. But now looking at the rate I thought I will go for only one floor that is only GROUND floor. Though it is very difficult to manage I thought later we may go for the 2nd floor. For the 18 rooms we are planning to construct only the cost what I had given above. We have 18 rooms; each room has 480 sq ft. For each sq ft it costs Rs.1500\-. That means for one class room it goes up to 7 lakhs. Apart from this we need to spend for wooden works (desks, benches, shelving etc.) separately. Looking at all I was scared and did not sleep for 3 nights. I would be happy if you find any more sponsors to sponsor one classroom or to sponsor one load of sand or stones which costs Rs. 5,000/- or furniture etc.
As days go by I am unable to sit on the system at all. (Go on the computer - no electricity.) Today I set apart all my work and came to you.... All the students and staff members, sisters all are faring well. This year in the boarding we have more members (235.)”
August 2009 - “I am glad to meet you once again through this mail. As I was busy I could not communicate to you. We have started to cut and clear the ground. Yesterday Sr. Pushpam the Provincial and Sr. Dorothy (bursar) had come to visit us. She (Sr. Dorothy) handed over the money which you had sent to me. It came around one lakh 20 thousands. We are happy to initiate the work with your contribution as we have not yet received the money from the particular agency. It may take 20 more days to prepare and level the ground for the classroom buildings.”
September 2009 - “As I had informed you we started the preliminary work. First we started to clear the trees on the site. We are waiting from the part of the Government to provide building approval. That itself is a complicated work. From Kodai municipal office they have forward to Madurai, Madurai officials have to visit the site and forward to Dindigul office. They in turn sent the order to Madurai, on that basis they forward to Chennai and Chennai to Madurai vice versa. I am glad to send you some of the photography of our work.”
October 2009 - “Greetings from Sr. Jacky. Sorry for my delayed reply. Last week we had heavy rain and the electricity was closed nearly a week. Apart from that we have frequent power cut. So when I am free I am not able to operate the system. (computer) That is why I am late. Yesterday Sr. Dorothy spoke on phone, so I made myself to open the computer. This morning from 8 to 1 pm there was power shutdown. What to do we have to adjust according to the place where we live.
I am very much discouraged and disappointed with the official work concerning the building approval.
1. The Government has formed a committee called AAA (Hill Area Authority Act) recently according to that act we have to go for the building approval through various offices such as Kodai Kanal Municipal office, Madurai DD office, Dindigul Collectrate then to Madurai office which will be forwarded to Chennai AAA committee office. Then the reverse proceeds ......finally the Municipal office has to issue the building approval. (There is much new building in this area, including many ‘mansions’ owned by film stars etc. who live here just in May, to escape the heat of the summer. Mountainsides of forest have been chopped down to accommodate the buildings and it has already started to affect the climate. It is now wetter and warmer and birds and animals that only used to live lower down the mountainside, at lower altitudes have now moved up. This in itself has caused problems with groups of monkeys raiding the crops etc. Thus it is good that the government is taking notice of climate change and the environment, but to the detriment of the new school building. It was thought that the new building would not be affected by the new laws as it was not to be built on new land. However, it would seem that the government has found that this could be a very good source of income, especially from the owners of all the new mansions and luxury hotels, who also have to pay huge amounts of money to have their buildings and land assessed.)
2. If we have to apply for new building we have to get the approval for the previous buildings in the campus which is not regularised. Unfortunately we have such 2 buildings in our campus.
3. While the officials came to visit, they strictly told us to go for the approval of the previous 2 existing in buildings (boys boarding and the convent renewed building)
4. To get the approval for the above we have to pay to the Government 7% of the total cost of the buildings. Apart from that for 1 square foot we have to pay for Rs.25/- So the cost goes more then 10 lakhs.
5. After getting the old buildings approval order we have to go for new school building approval along with an approval order of the previous one. Hence the process seems to be very long and tedious.
About the 40 lakhs they have promised us to give in two phases. According to them we have to start in January and finished by next year. But I fear I will not be able to get the regularisation order in January. Moreover they will not allow to spend 10 lakhs from their fund for the building approval. However believe in God I am going ahead for the old buildings approval. The files are in Madurai only.”
November 2009 - “The rain still continues as the depression in Bay of Bengal continues. However we have electricity so I could contact you today. Hope everything is going on well. The building approval work is going on. Hope it would move positively so that we will able to start the construction work in January.”
December 2009 - “Concerning in the building work as I had informed you it is really complicated and we have pushed the file to Dindigul Collector office. By the end of this month I hope it will go to Chennai. Only then we know how many months it takes to get the approval of the building. Until then, even though we have enough money, we cannot lay the foundation for new building. In the mean while I am also searching for few donors of the locality who can support us.”
February 2010 - “Our school file papers are still in the process of getting approval. Once we finish getting orders in different offices only we will be able to go for foundation laying. The organization who has promised to help us is not very happy because we delay in foundation. But the Government has become very strict not to proceed unless we have the order in hand. I hope God will grant us all the necessary possibilities in order to serve these poor children. I am in dire need of constructing class rooms. In IXth standard I have accommodated more than 65 children in a class room where I could accommodate only 45. Each day the teachers are coming to me and requesting for class room. I hope we will be able to fulfil the need of the students as early as possible.”
April 2010 - "I wish you a Happy season of Easter. Sorry for my delay. All our 87 children of 10th standard have finished their State exams and have gone home. We are expecting the result in month of May. Hope all have done well and all may go through the exam. The rest of the children are still here and continuing their exams and studies. I hope everything is going on well including the health of your parents. Concerning the approval of our building is still a long way and tedious process. But still with a help of God and the support of others I am working hard with hope to reach the destiny one day. May God bless us. With love - Sr. Jacky.
July 2010- "I am indeed happy to know something about you after a long time. In fact I had been thinking to mail you before you. But I too feel that I was late. However, this year the admission of the children have increased both in boarding and School. Some are abandaned by one of the parents. I feel pain to come to know about the ignorance/irresponsibility of the parents. However, I feel satisfied about our service towards them.
I received letters from Creaton School and our children too are preparing letters for them. I shall sent it to you soon. I thank Sue Jefferson for her generosity and selfless service. May God bless them with His Grace.
Dear Julie, there is a sad news too about our School Project. I had informed you about one Agency that had sanctioned some amount. Since we delay for the sake of Building Approval, they withdrew the amount. Though we did not spent any amount from what they had sanctioned. But still I believe in God and going ahead hopefully. Concerning the Building Approval work we are going forward slowly. Right now our papers are in Chennai. If we work fast and hard we may get the approval for the boys boarding building and the Convent renewal. And then we can go for the School approval. I thank God that there are some people who understand the situations and make me to go forward hopefully."