In a unique joint attempt by VIT and Mahalir Thittam (Department of Women Development), Vellore, the first batch of students trained in housekeeping and sanitation passed out in a first-of-its-kind initiative undertaken by the district administration in the state.
A group of 25 unemployed youth, including seven men belonging to BPL families, were selected from across seven villages in Katpadi block, most of whom were degree and diploma holders. VIT university imparted the necessary training to this first batch of 25 sanitation workers.
G K Lokeswari, project officer of the Mahalir Thittam, said that VIT had tailor made this course on House Keeping exclusively for the scheme, which offers free training to the youth. This batch would be appointed for maintenance of the collectorate building for a period of one year, she added. Identity cards were distributed to the 25 members by district collector Ajay Yadav. The project officer of the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development and Research Studies at VIT, Tamilmaran, said that the House Keeping and Sanitation course was modelled to provide professional training in housekeeping. The course trained the candidates on the various cleaning techniques, operating cleaning equipment and their safety, maintenance of records and growing indoor plants, besides training in fire safety, first-aid and waste management. The training was imparted by faculty members and field staff of VIT. The logo and the uniform for the trainees were designed by students attached to Fashion and Creativity clubs in the university, he added. These students were bound by a contract to the Collectorate Maintenance Society and would be responsible for the maintenance of building, toilets, portico etc. at the collectorate, besides undertaking solid waste management on the campus, which was currently being run by the employees of the collectorate. A corpus fund was allotted for the same, Lokeswari added.
Two more batches of students have been selected for the training. After undergoing training at VIT, they would be assigned for the maintenance of the Vellore Government Medical College Hospital campus and the Vellore Corporation Building subsequently. Further, this group of trained students would be enlisted under an agency called Vellore Sentry who would look after the maintenance of government buildings initially.
More colleges were being identified to offer this course for candidates across the district with services of the latter being gradually extended to all the government buildings, Collector Yadav said.
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