| Govt fails to provide basic facilities in many Jammu primary schools | | 156 schools san drinking water facilities, 205 running from single rooms, 57 from rented accommodations | | Bijay Charak
Jammu, Aug 19: Contrary to the tall claims of the state government to provide all basic facilities in primary schools run by it, their condition in Jammu district, where 156 schools have no potable water facility, 205 are running from single rooms and 57 from rented accommodations, is not so good.
Sources informed Early Times that in many schools government has provided water tanks but in view of the shortage of drinking water supply facility, students could be found fetching water from natural sources.
"One such school is Primary School, Bamyal, in block Dansal of Jammu district, where department has provided a plastic tank but there is no water supply to the school. To quench their thirst, students fetch water from more than 100 meters", sources said.
While talking to this correspondent, Sarpanch of Bambyal, Ram Singh said that providing a water tank in school has not served any purpose as still the students had to fetch water from nearby "Bowli" (spring).
The Bamyal Primary school is not an isolated case but there are 156 schools in Jammu out of total 978 schools, which are still without potable water facility.
According to information furnished by the concerned department, 205 government primary schools are running from a single room accommodation and 57 are still running from rented buildings in Jammu district.
In violation of the Supreme Court guidelines, which make it mandatory for all states to provide electricity connection and also install an electronic meter, more than 150 schools have no power connection and during peak summer season, the teachers are forced to take classes in open under shade of trees.
The schools which are running from single rooms and from rented buildings also have no separate kitchen - cum- store facility.
An official said that government schools were totally neglected by state government, due to which the enrollment in such schools has been witnessing a downward trend and private schools were flourishing. "The education must be first priority of government so that we are able to make our country and future bright", he said. When contacted, Chief Education Officer Traseem Lal admitted that water tanks were provided to schools but there were no water pipelines, which could provide water.
"We have made a proposal and forwarded the same to Public Health Engineering department to provide water pipelines to these schools so that the problem of water scarcity ends", he said. He said that the schools running in single rooms were established years back but the all the new schools established under Sarav Shikha Abhiyan have all facilities. "District or state plan funds are used to provide facility to old schools and whenever the funds will be available, facilities will be provided", he assured and added, "Due to the high cost of land in urban areas, some schools are running from rented accommodations there." |
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