CHENNAI: For Gothandaraman, a first-year college student, classes start at 10 am. But for almost three days in a row, he has been leaving home only at 11.30 am. Low attendance made it impossible for him to write his semester exams without paying a hefty fine. But if he goes to college on time, his family will not have water to drink for two days.
“The water tanker that comes to my locality is never on time, so I usually end up missing the first two classes almost on a daily basis. We hardly get water, and if I miss the tanker, then my parents will have to buy water cans or try getting water from other areas,” says the 18-year-old resident of Raja Muthiah Puram.
This is the scenario in most housing board tenements as school- and college-going students are helping hands when it comes to fetching water from tankers. While parents don’t want their children to compromise on studies, some students voluntarily lend a helping hand. Sisters Lavanya and Pavithra have missed classes many a time because their parents work. Hence, the responsibility of getting water from tankers is on their shoulders.
“As our college is in Thoraipakkam, we have to board the bus at 9 am to reach college on time. But if the water tanker comes at only 10 am, we don’t have a choice but to be late to college. We attend extra classes and compensate. It is worse for school students,” says Lavanya, a second-year college student.
On the other hand, some college students have a part-time job to earn a few extra bucks. The never-ending race to get enough water is harder for these students to win. Nivedita S, a resident of Vallieshwaran Thottam in Mandaveli, says, “I opted for evening college as I could find a part-time job to help my parents financially. There is no water for most in our area, so tankers are the only hope for us. While waiting for these tankers to arrive, I usually end up not going to work. There is enough time to only attend college.”