ZP chief orders to provide schools with water

DH Impact

Zilla Panchayat vice-president B Savithramma expressed dissatisfaction during the general body meeting on Saturday about 214 schools in the district not having drinking water facilities.

A Ajith Prasad, deputy director of the Department for Public Instruction, said most of the  schools have been provided with drinking water facilities on a temporary basis.

Infuriated by this, Savithramma accused the officer of giving incorrect reports, saying, “There are reports that the condition of drinking water supply in schools is alarming.
schools have no drinking water supply. Look into the matter and take actions immediately.”

Deccan Herald had reported on January 12 that 214 government schools in the district have no permanent drinking water facility.

As many as 115 schools in Bagepalli taluk, Chikkaballapur taluk (6), Chintamani taluk (59), Shidlaghatta taluk (20), Gudibande taluk (20) and some schools in Gauribidanur taluk do not have drinking water facility.

In some schools despite the existence of taps and sumps there is no supply of water. Most of the students get drinking water from their homes or go to nearby houses for water.

Officials of the Department for Public Instruction had said that a grant of Rs 25,000 has been given to each school for these facilities. However the responsibility of providing drinking water vests with the officials and members of taluk and gram panchayats, they added.