Girls’ toilets in all state schools

As the toilet-vs-temple controversy, triggered by Union Minister Jairam Ramesh, refuses to die down, and the Supreme Court issuing a directive that all government schools must have toilets within six months, the State authorities are finally waking up to the grim reality.

 The Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA) has decided to come up with special girls’ toilet in the schools across the State __ a whopping 34,824 toilets by March 2013 __ when the apex court deadline ends.

 Under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme, a separate girls’ toilet will be constructed in every school. Each would cost Rs 70,000, 65 per cent of which would be funded by the Centre and the rest by the State Government. “The construction has already started. We are hopeful that we will complete the construction of 34,824 girls’ toilets by March next year,” said OPEPA State project director Krushna Gopal Mohapatra.

 This, the authorities feel, would by and large make up for the shortfall. The purpose is to create a holistic environment for education of the children and specifically encourage girls to come to school.

In its directive, the Supreme Court had ordered that all the schools must have sufficient working toilets and basic facilities. Most of the toilets in schools in the State lack running water facility. Hardly 10 per cent of the total schools have running water facility.

 The Rural Development department has been given the responsibility to construct the toilets. “Around 80 per cent of the schools have been covered and now have proper toilet facilities,” Mohapatra said. But of these 80 per cent toilets in the schools, around 20-25 per cent toilets areExpress News Service

Bhubaneswar: As the toilet-vs-temple controversy, triggered by Union Minister Jairam Ramesh, refuses to die down, and the Supreme Court issuing a directive that all government schools must have toilets within six months, the State authorities are finally waking up to the grim reality.

 The Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA) has decided to come up with special girls’ toilet in the schools across the State __ a whopping 34,824 toilets by March 2013 __ when the apex court deadline ends.

 Under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme, a separate girls’ toilet will be constructed in every school. Each would cost Rs 70,000, 65 per cent of which would be funded by the Centre and the rest by the State Government. “The construction has already started. We are hopeful that we will complete the construction of 34,824 girls’ toilets by March next year,” said OPEPA State project director Krushna Gopal Mohapatra.

 This, the authorities feel, would by and large make up for the shortfall. The purpose is to create a holistic environment for education of the children and specifically encourage girls to come to school.

In its directive, the Supreme Court had ordered that all the schools must have sufficient working toilets and basic facilities. Most of the toilets in schools in the State lack running water facility. Hardly 10 per cent of the total schools have running water facility.

 The Rural Development department has been given the responsibility to construct the toilets. “Around 80 per cent of the schools have been covered and now have proper toilet facilities,” Mohapatra said. But of these 80 per cent toilets in the schools, around 20-25 per cent toilets are either unusable or in need of repair.

 The department has recently listed out the schools which have no toilet facilities. Apart from constructing new toilets, the repair work will also be taken up.  either unusable or in need of repair.

 The department has recently listed out the schools which have no toilet facilities. Apart from constructing new toilets, the repair work will also be taken up.

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