The government schools in the water-scarce Thuraiyur union are managing the scarcity this season as the teachers are spending from their pockets to buy water from private suppliers. As hundreds of students benefit under the noon meal scheme, they need water to wash their plates. While, for drinking, most of the students are bringing water bottles as the tanks in their campuses could not meet all their needs.
Children studying in government schools in Thuraiyur union are carrying extra bottles of water to the schools. If the water in their bottles exhausted, the students of government primary and middle schools at villages are running back to their houses in the locality during the lunch break for refilling their bottles. "The water we buy from private suppliers are mainly utilized for toilets. Because most of the bore-wells that supply water to the school tanks do not have sufficient water to cater to the needs. Many schools are left with absolutely no water supply to the tanks. Thus, we teachers are pooling money from ourselves to buy water," said a teacher of the government higher secondary school in the union. With the water scarcity problem engulfing the whole union of Thuraiyur, the schools in it are no exception to the crisis.
The schools situated in villages such as Poonusingampatti, Kelakunnampatti and other areas here are running without water facility. Even a government girls high school situated in the heart of Thuraiyur town where more than thousand students are studying faces the crisis, leaving the teachers themselves to buy tanker water.While speaking, Saravanan, a parent from Thuraiyur, "As there is a severe water crisis in the schools, teachers are asking the students to use spoons during lunch and also strictly instructed not to use the water for washing the lunch boxes they bring. However, noon-meal beneficiaries are washing their plates." The students who are coming back to physical education classes could not wash their legs and hands. Hence, they are sitting dirt in classrooms.
According to a teacher from a government school in Thuraiyur union, "With the available bore-wells of village panchayats run dry, we are in difficulty. Even we get supply, water is insufficient. Hence, we are purchasing water through tankers to manage the situation. A request has been made to the education department for making arrangements immediately."Speaking to Express, A Jesindha, Block Development Officer, Thuraiyur, said that the management of government schools cannot be blamed for imposing restrictions on the students regarding usage of water. "They are actually struggling to manage the situation with available water," she added. "Sinking of new bore-wells at some villages would be of no use. However, we are doing our best to give priority to schools in the water supply. We have instructed the village panchayat administrations," said BDO, ThuraiyurWhen contacted, S Shanthi, Chief Education Officer of Tiruchy assured that necessary actions would be taken after inspecting the schools in Thuraiyur union.
