Boinda: Despite a host of projects launched by the government for welfare of schoolchildren, many kids are deprived of even basic facilities.
Gundurikhali Primary School in Kurumatapa panchayat under Athamalik block in Angul district is a case in point. Students of this school either consume water from a canal or from of an uncovered well, as a tube well on the campus has been lying defunct for six months.
According to villagers, the student strength of the school is 53 from Classes I to V. Though there is a tube well on the campus, it’s out of order for long.
With no alternative in sight, the students have to walk about 100 metre daily to reach the canal where they not only wash their soiled plates but also consume the unsafe water. The midday meals in the school are prepared from the water which is collected from an uncovered well. Though the villagers have apprised the block administration of the quality of water used for preparation of food and for drinking purpose, it didn’t yield any result.
“Outbreak of waterborne diseases among the students cannot be ruled out if they continue to consume the unsafe water of the canal,” said village head Dharanidhar Pradhan.
Pratap Pradhan and others of the village sought immediate intervention of the collector in the matter.
Headmaster Suramani Kanar said the department concerned has been asked to repair the tube well. While the kids are given safe drinking water, the senior students don’t obey the order and manage to reach the canal and use its water, the headmaster claimed.
Block education officer L Barla said he was yet to get any complaint over consumption of canal water by the students. PNN