Parents have refused to send their children to Government Middle School at Nathamedu in Poonachi panchayat in Ammapettai block for the third consecutive week, demanding the closure of a private ethanol plant and a cassava processing unit in their area over alleged environmental pollution.

They allege that untreated waste discharged by the two units has polluted the stream and accumulated in a dam in the Nathamedu area, affecting residents and students studying in primary and middle schools along the stream.

Despite efforts by the district administration and officials of the Education, Revenue and Rural Development departments to persuade the protesters to withdraw their agitation, the impasse continues. Measures such as providing purified drinking water at schools have reportedly been proposed, but the demand for closure of the industrial units remains.

During talks with the authorities, the protesters sought transfer certificates for their children, stating that they intended to admit them to other schools. With students continuing to stay away, teachers have been waiting at schools from morning till evening, hoping that children would turn up, only to return disappointed.

In a fresh attempt to resolve the issue, Ammapettai police have been making announcements through loudspeakers in Nathamedu, Ramachandrapuram and neighbouring villages, appealing to families to send their children to school in the interest of their future. However, less than 20 students turned up at a school with a strength of 142 on Friday, highlighting the continuing impact of the protest on education in the area.