Republic Day gift for poor children,a library from citizens

In a first-of-its-kind in the twin industrial township,citizens have joined hands to set up a library to help poor children.

In a first-of-its-kind in the twin industrial township,citizens have joined hands to set up a library to help poor children. To be thrown open on the Republic Day,the library at Kasarwadi in Pimpri-Chinchwad will serve as a knowledge centre for students aspiring to appear for various state and central competitive examinations.

Citizens took the matter in their hands after the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation consistently ignored their demands for a library. Anita Landge,president of Damini Bachat Gat,a self-help group,said there was a long-felt need for such a library in Kasarwadi area. For years,the suburb has not got anything the PCMC. We have been demanding a library for a year,but nothing happened. That is why we decided to set up the library on our own, she said.

Jayant Kariya,one of the founder-members of the library,said,Our focus will be on ensuring that poor children,especially those living below poverty line and in slums,are encouraged to take up higher education and competitive exams. The library has been tentatively named as Manoj Library and Knowledge Centre.

Hemant Nahata,a senior member of the library,said,The library will play an active role in spreading information,creating awareness and educating the local people..

Munir Ramdurg,another active member of the library,said,We will have books that cover all aspects of a human life. Generally in libraries you wont find books on law,IPC,Criminal Procedure Code,Right to Information etc. These are usually found with advocates or law libraries. But we already have stock of such books. We have advocates as members who will hold interaction sessions with students, said Ramdurg.

Sanjeevani Pandey of Chinchwad,who donated 30 books to the library,said,All the books we donated were precious to me and my family. But we donated them for the betterment of the society.

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