ATTC students engage with communities of rural Sikkim

GANGTOK, 10 Oct: The final year students of Advanced Technical Training Centre (ATTC) Bardang, East Sikkim conducted a two-day village camp from 03 to 04 October at secondary schools in rural areas of various districts in the state, namely Lachung, Borong, Gerethang and Darap. The village camp is a part of ATTC curriculum, in which students are actively involved in performing community development work at remote places of Sikkim each year.
A press release informs that this program enables students to understand the local environment while engaging in socially productive work such as cleanliness drive in school classrooms and compound, blackboard painting of classrooms, whitewash of school walls, repairing (welding) of school desk & benches and also beautification of school. This helps in creating awareness and co-operation amongst local people by promoting the culture of giving back to the society especially in remote areas. ATTC-manufactured dusters made by students of Diploma in Tool & Die making were distributed to Gerethang Secondary School, West Sikkim who also invited the students and faculty to 06, Gerethang Ward Panchayat Office where they were welcomed by the Panchayat Secretary and a visit to a local museum was also organised.
Visual aids were used while conducting inter-house Quiz Competition among school students and promotional slideshow of ATTC, Bardang. Diploma in Mechatronics and Computer Engineering students also conducted maintenance work in computer labs such as repairing computers, installation of operating system and required software etc. Other cultural and sports activities such as dance, bonfire, friendly exhibition football matches were also conducted.
Since North Sikkim was badly hit by earthquakes and flash floods in recent years, ATTC Principal (retired) S Purkayastha suggested the initiative to perform community development work at affected areas such as Lachung, North Sikkim and subsequently necessary arrangements to make the village camp successful were made by teacher escort, DB Gadaily.

There is a saying that “Indian Army is the guardian of Sikkim” and this was proved by the Army personnel of Lachung area during the village camp. They helped by providing lunch to students, organizing weapons display, providing medical help to sick students and also provided information on precautionary measures for surviving at high altitudes. The students and teacher escort were impressed by such hospitality and have thanked all the Indian Army personnel involved in the village camp at Lachung, the release adds.