Fed up with heavy school bags, 2 students hold press meet to

narrate woes Chandrapur (Mah), Aug 23 (PTI) Burdened with heavy schoolbags, two seventh grade boys held a press conference here tohighlight the plight of students who carry a load of 5-7 kg ontheir shoulders daily to attend classes. Media persons at the local Press Club were taken abackyesterday when the duo from local Vidya Niketan School, walkedin and expressed their desire to hold a conference on thedaily hardships they face due to the burdensome bags. "We carry a minimum of 16 books for 8 subjects daily andsometimes their number increases to 18 or 20, depending uponthe subjects for which the classes would be held for the day.Our school bags weigh between 5 and 7 kg and its exhausting tocarry them to our classroom located on the third floor," theboys, aged around 12 years, told reporters here. "We had given applications to our principal to considerreducing the weight of school bags a couple of times but thesame failed to evoke any response," they claimed. In some cases, parents help their kids by carrying theirbags to the classroom, they said. As per the directives of Bombay High Court, theMaharashtra government had earlier this year issued a circularissuing guidelines on reduction of weight of school bagscarried by students on the recommendations of a committee. The state had informed the High Court that it had alsofixed the responsibility on principals and school managementto follow the circular and would take action against those notobeying this rule. According to government pleader, there are 1.06 lakhschools in the state and the circular is binding on them. To a query, whether the students were aware about thecircular, they replied in negative. The boys also offered some alternatives to resolve thisproblem. They suggested that the authorities make arrangements forkeeping their daily work books in school or reduce the numberof periods per day. "There are 8 periods a day on average for which we haveto carry textbooks for each subject along with theirrespective work books. In addition, few more books also needto be carried, on some of the week days, which prove to becumbersome," they said. On any possible disciplinary action by schoolauthorities, the two boys said their demands are "just" and donot anticipate any problem. When asked if the school fails to address the grievance,the two said they would go on a hunger strike till theirdemands are fulfilled. PTI COR DKAAR