TIRUCHY: A government primary school in Mutharasanallur gram panchayat has been deprived of a proper water pipeline connection in toilets since its inception, with students forced to carry water bottles every time they use the toilets, rue parents and locals alike. The school, established 40 years ago in the Murugappettai village, has around 25 students at present till Class 5.
Every day the students carry bottles of water to the toilets as the facility lacks water supply, according to locals. Vijaya Kumar M, a parent, studied in the school 30 years ago. He said children feel embarrassed to carry water bottles to toilets. "We have requested for pipeline connection several times but nothing has been done so far.
The school once had good numbers, but now the poor infrastructure is alienating those who want to join there," he stated. P Suresh, another resident of the village, stressed the need for a pipeline connection as the entire Murugappettai village does not have a public toilet. "It is an economically backward area where many don't have toilets in their homes. Children normally defecate in the open on railway tracks," he said.
Suresh also stated that the septic tank near the school toilet is also in poor condition. It can break at any point, he added. When contacted, school sources said a proposal to set up a water pipeline inside school toilets and construction of a new septic tank has been requested. Meanwhile, a district elementary school education official said he would look into the issue.