920 schools don’t have toilets, 221 without water
GAIRSAIN (CHAMOLI): As many as 920 schools in Uttarakhand have no toilets. Another 221 have toilets but are without water connectivity. School education minister Arvind Pandey disclosed these poor conditions of schools at the Question Hour in the assembly Thursday.
Replying to a query of independent legislator Preetam Panwar, the minister said 43,677 schools in the state have toilets for their students. In a supplementary question, he said the government has sought funds from the Centre. When asked about the details of the funds, Pandey said the water supply department was not his portfolio.
The lack of homework and coordination among the ministers was clearly visible. Later, water supply minister Prakash Pant said he would provide the details separately.
Replying to another question of Congress legislator Harish Dhami, the school education minister said the government has decided to merge the schools with less than 10 students. He asserted the decision wouldn’t affect students as the merged schools are within a radius one kilometre.
But Dhami demanded further information. “I have information that some schools are as far as 3 km. The government should reconsider the decision.”
During the Zero Hour, BJP legislator Ganesh Joshi informed the House that there was no arrangement for proper garbage disposal in Mussoorie. Garbage was being dumped near an academy that trains civil servants, he said.
BJP legislator Chandan Ram Das drew the government’s attention to a recent incident in Bageshwar where his name was not mentioned in the foundation stone. Leader of Opposition Indira Hridayesh supported him. She added even irrigation minister Satpal Maharaj was not mentioned in the foundation stones that were laid by the Prime Minister during his Kedarnath visit.