VISAKHAPATNAM: The Swachh Vidyalaya project launched to maintain hygiene at government schools has been hit, with the government stopping releasing funds which made the local authorities to remove the toilet maintenance workers.
The government has invested huge funds on building toilet blocks as a part of the Swachh Vidyalaya project. A large number of public sector units (PSUs) and other private establishments had joined hands in the move and sunk bore wells in schools as a part of their CSR activities.
With the maintenance of the toilets becoming tough, the Education Department has entrusted the District Rural Development Authorities (DRDAs) to take up the maintenance works of the toilets by appointing SHG members at the local level.
Accordingly, the DRDAs have deployed local SHG members by fixing a monthly wage of `2,500 for upper primary school and `4,000 for high schools and the members took up the work in June this year.
But, things have been back to square one, as the Education Department did not pay wages of the workers. At present, the government has wages of the worker amounting `18 crore pending.
The Education Department is not responding to clear the dues even after a string of letters, say the DRDA officials.
As there is no proper maintenance, over 90 per cent of the toilet blocks have gone unused, raising a stink on the school premises.
Meanwhile, all the project directors of 13 districts have been directed to remove the sanitation workers in the schools from October 1.
With the instructions, the DRDA officials removed the workers from the toilet maintenance duties. Thousands of workers pressurised the DRDA officials for their dues. The Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty, which is leading the DRDAs, has also requested the Education Department to clear the dues, ut to no avail. At present, the issue is pending with the Chief Minister’s Office.
“It is true that with the instructions from the government, we have removed the maintenance workers. We have to pay wages, amounting to `1.10 crore, for three months to the workers in the district.
The SERP has brought the issue to the notice of the Chief Minister too. Once the Education department clears the dues, we will pay the wages to the workers,” said V Satya Sai Srinivas, the Visakhapatnam DRDA project director.
“With the oral instructions, we have removed the maintenance workers. A sum of `1.02 crore has to be paid as arrears to them,” said S Dilli Rao, the Vizianagaram DRDA project director.
The Sarva Siksha Abhiyan officials say that the release of funds for the project is awaited.
“Once the government releases the funds, we will settle the dues. Meanwhile, we are approaching the Panchyat Raj Department authorities to handle the toilet maintenance at schools,” said G Srinivas, state project director of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan.