Move aside admin, volunteers take up cleaning duty in mosquito-infested school while district authorities let it crumble

A day after the Panangur district administration visited a school that promised free dengue than education, volunteers stepped forward to refurbish the crumbling buildings of the Panchayat Union Primary School. With a crumbling roof, the dilapidated structure had turned into a swimming pool for mosquitoes and had received no repair from officials. 

“Seven of us formed a team and shared the responsibilities in the makeshift activities. We cannot do anything about the dilapidated building. So, we decided to improve other facilities like the old school building and the Anganwadi building for the time being until the district administration constructs a new building” said ‘JCB’ Siva, a resident cum volunteer who coordinated the team. 

On October 10, Express had reported the deplorable condition of the Panchayat Union Primary School in Panangur like a crumbling ceiling, damaged tiles, cracked walls, rainwater inside classrooms, no electricity in one of the buildings and snakes on the premises. 

The volunteers on Thursday cleared the bushes in the lavatory where the students reportedly spotted a snake. They also removed damaged tiles and fixed new tones on the roof of the old building which had a leak. Then, they trimmed branches that had grown randomly and unsettled the roofs. They also brought electrical appliances for the Anganwadi.

Headmistress P Susila informed Express that a team of officials from the Veppur Panchayat Union visited the school on Thursday morning.  “They took photos and measured the dimensions of the buildings. The officials reportedly told the staff, villagers and volunteers that they were not informed about the dangerous condition of the school until the district administration saw a report by The New Indian Express on October 11.