ARIYALUR: Students and teachers of Keezhappalur Government Higher Secondary School have been facing difficulty owing to rainwater stagnation at the entrance and inside the institution for over a week now.
According to sources, there are 475 students from Classes 6 to 12 and 18 teachers, including the headmaster, in the school. Heavy rain lashed several places, including Keezhapalur, in Ariyalur a couple of weeks ago. For the past 10 days, rainwater has been stagnating at the entrance, inside the school and on the playground. As students had to walk through the stagnant water to reach the toilets, teachers tried to address the issue by dumping sand on the stagnant water, but in vain.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, a 16-year-old student, who did not wish to be named, said, "Every time it rains, water stagnates in front of the school and inside. We come to the school clean, but our legs and uniform get dirty owing to the water. This stagnation might invite pests and reptiles like snakes, which might be dangerous. We are scared and can concentrate on lessons only if the water is cleared without further delay."
R Dhileepan, a social activist said, "When I went to school three days ago, I noticed the stagnation and also a lot of mosquitoes. This might pose a threat of dengue outbreak among students. Some residents of Sendurai village in the district have already been affected by dengue. Therefore, the authorities must take serious note of this and clear the water."
When The New Indian Express contacted, school headmaster A Akbarkhan said, "We are clearing it using an excavator. However, groundwater level around the school and moisture in sand are high owing to a nearby lake. When it rains heavily, the sand gets wet very fast and there is pooling of water."