The announcement to give 3 per cent reservation in employment for sportspersons of traditional martial art Silambam will be made in a week’s time, said Environment-Climate Change and Youth Welfare and Sports Development Siva V Meyyanathan in Thanjavur on Monday. He said that the Chief Minister has been initiating steps to take the traditional martial art into the international arena.

Ministers Siva V Meyyanathan and Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi inspecting the ongoing works in Thanjavur

Thiruchirapalli:

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the ongoing developmental works along with Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Meyyanathan said, steps are initiated not to let the recycled water from refineries into water bodies, but to ensure using it in the parks and farming activities. 

Stating that Chief Minister MK Stalin is keen to promote Silambam in international arena, Meyyanathan said Silambam players would be given all round support from the state. “Steps are being initiated to give 3 per cent reservation in government employment to Silambam players and an announcement would be made in a week,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the Minister said, Silambam would be included in school syllabus and steps would be initiated to take Silambam in universities initially and would be worked to ensure inclusion in the Olympics too, he added. 

Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said, the schools for lower classes would certainly be reopened on November 1 and there is no change in it. “At the same time, if the parents are willing to send their kids to school after Deepavali, they are allowed to. It is up to the decision of the parents,” he stressed.