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Naina Mishra
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 18
While the Central Government is stressing on sanitation by urging schools to undertake cleanliness initiatives under the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign, the dilapidated toilets of this government school paint a picture of neglect.
The existence of toilets without urinals, pipes and broken latches are what one may find common at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 32. Sans urinals, the sanitation programmes by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) seem to have taken a back seat in government schools.
During a visit to the school, many students pointed out issues like poor maintenance, stench and broken latches.
“We do not have proper toilets in the school. Only the authorities can tell the use of toilets without urinals. Apart from it, some ill-disciplined boys leave no chance to vandalise toilets,” said a student of the school.
“The school reminds us of a small town bus stand in Punjab or Haryana. Are these kinds of toilets part of the Swacchata Abhiyan?” asked a teacher on requesting anonymity.
The school management, however, blames students and outsiders for tearing down the school’s property.
Ranjana Khosla, Principal of GMSSS 32, said: “It is the students who destroy the school property periodically. We have even installed CCTV cameras to keep a check on children. School employees have been asked to keep a vigil on students on all four floors. Yesterday only, a few students
broke a tap in the washroom. We have been repairing the damaged property on time. In the coming days, urinals in the boys’ washroom will also be installed.”
Khosla said: “Since there is a cricket ground in the school, many outsiders also use washrooms. No outsiders will be allowed to use washrooms after 3 pm from tomorrow as these will remain locked.”
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