‘Education for all’, is the theme of the 10th edition of ‘Aagneya’, the annual techno-cultural festival of Government Engineering College, Barton Hill (GECB). Staying true to the theme, the students of the college are all set to launch ‘Aagneya Libraries’, a project that will reach books to people from disadvantaged sections of society. A crowd-sourced programme, the project will have students setting up libraries at remote places where people don’t have access to books, or, sometimes even, electricity. “In many communities, especially in tribal settlements, those in the present generation are the only beneficiaries of formal education. There are many who can’t read or write properly. They don’t have access to good books or newspapers. TV is not possible as electricity is yet to reach them. A library will make a lot of difference,” says Amal Anil, who conceptualised the programme with Niranjan U.V., chairman of the college union. The first library will be set up near a tribal settlement at Kottoor. A collection of books for the library has already begun. Students are the major contributors as of now. The organisers are planning to collect more than a 1,000 books. They will be contacting the State Central Library for the books from their stock-clearance, and are looking for sponsors, including other government organisations. Amal adds, “If we can find sponsors and get some money then we can buy a lot of second-hand books at affordable prices.” The Panchayat has given the students a building to house their library. Several clubs in the city, he adds, have agreed to help in furnishing the library. Amal believes that the programme has a bright future. “After the first couple of meetings of the library committee, the library should get the certification of State Library Council. After that it might be easier to get some funds for more facilities and, may be, employ someone from the tribal community itself as a librarian,” he says. The drive will be inaugurated on February 16 with the handing over of a few books to a representative of the community. Amal and his team plan to open the library before Aagneya, which is scheduled from March 17 to 19. Contact: 7907787272

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