TIRUNELVELI: Another March 22 is here. A day when the whole world, quite like every other observance day, suddenly becomes vocal on water conservation. For schools, not just in Tamil Nadu but across the world, the day serves as another common theme to hold programmes and awareness classes and hope the children are on the “right” path. As it is, they get lessons on how to conserve water and how every drop of the elixir counts.
For the 200 students of the Thirupanikarisalkulam Panchayat Union School in Tirunelveli’s Manur, though, the lessons need not be taught in theory. They have been learning it the hard way for four years now as they come to a school where they don’t even have a drop to quench their thirsts or use in toilets.
With as many as 145 students in kindergarten to Class 5 sitting in one classroom and another 55 in Classes 6-8 in a nearby building, the school is an example of how government apathy can strip budding students of their basic rights. Despite repeated requests for water supply, neither the School Education Department nor the panchayat has so far taken any action, said teachers.
L Mariappan (42), the father of a Class 6 girl student at the school, said, “My daughter has been studying at this school from Class 1. For four years now, the school has not had any drinking water supply despite a water tank installed on the premises. Worse is that there is no water even for bathroom uses. We are concerned about the health complications that a female child could have if she attains puberty, and can’t use the bathroom at school.”
M Selvi, mother of two students in Class 4 and Class 6 at the school, added, “Even for washing their hands after having lunch, children have to use water from their bottle or return home. Sometimes, the students themselves collect water from a neighbouring pipe in pots and carry them to the school for drinking water.”
When TNIE notified senior officials of the school education department about the conditions at the school, they said they would inquire about it. Whether an inquiry is held or not, this World Water Day, too, will be a routine for Thirupanikarisalkulam’s students. They will still have to choose between dry throats or carrying water in pots.