Only veggie meals for Rousillac students

WITH IMMEDIATE effect, students of the Rousillac Hindu School will receive only strict vegetarian meals from the School Nutrition Programme.

Yesterday, some 231 students began classes at the Rousillac Mandir after a weekend fire that completely gutted their school building. Consumption of meat and meat by-products is not permitted on the mandir compound.  Principal Sawitri Ramlogan said a request for strict vegetarian meals had already received a favourable response from the School Nutrition Company. When Newsday visited the relocated school yesterday morning, two Standard Five classes were being accommodated on an upper floor of the mandir, while Infants classes were being held in a converted kitchen area and Standards One to Four were in the main worship hall. T&TEC officials were on the compound speaking to the principal. They are looking into a possible electrical fault as the cause of the blaze which extensively damaged the school building.

The school’s public relations officer, Denis Tara, said efforts were made on Sunday to have the mandir ready in time for classes yesterday. Pipes and troughs were installed, rooms were re-painted and some electrical re-wiring was done.  Up to yesterday work was still being done. Tara gave the assurance that classes at the mandir would not affect devotees wanting to pray. “First and foremost, this is a place of worship,” he emphasised. At the beginning of the day a prayer service was held by pundits of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha. The school has already received assistance in the form of chairs and desks from Mohess Road Hindu School, Springvale Hindu School, San Francique Hindu School and the Longdenville Presbyterian School.  The Rousillac United Sports Club has promised to donate 12 fans and paint.