KATHMANDU: Educational Consultancy Association of Nepal (ECAN), an umbrella organisation of educational consultancies today declared scholarship for six children from Pida VDC-8, Pukun, Dhading who had consumed rotis made from pesticide-laced flour and fallen ill on March 9.

Six members of a family had died and 15 others had been taken ill after eating rotis made from wheat tainted with pesticide.

Organising a programme here in Kathmandu, ECAN declared scholarships and said it would bear the expenses needed to study till secondary level in a homely environment for the kids.It said that it was going to provide Rs 20,000 as scholarship for each child every year to study. Rajendra Baral, president, ECAN, said they have allocated a total of Rs 900,000 to the children to provide education up to the secondary level.

During the programme, Constituent Assembly members such as Rajendra Prasad Panday, Guru Prasad Burlakoti, Dhana Bahadur Ghale, Dil Man Pakhrin and Parsuram Tamang, spokesperson of Ministry of Education Hari Lamsal, Dhading Chief District Officer Basu Dev Ghimire, President of Guardian Association of Nepal Suprabhat Bhandari and representatives from Dol Bhanjyang Higher Secondary School (DBHSS), Pukun Primary School (PPS) and ECAN were present.Currently, Sunmaya Tamang,13, is studying in grade VI in DBHSS; Shantimaya Tamang, 10, is studying in grade II in PPS; Buddha Singh Tamang, 9, in grade III in PPS; Purna Bahadur Tamang, 10, in grade III in PPS; Raju Tamang, 3, in grade I and Buddhi Lal Tamang, 15, in grade VII in DBHSS.During the programme, the speakers applauded ECAN’s initiative for supporting the needy and poor people in ensuring their right to education in difficult times.