Floods damage classrooms, students at nature’s mercy

in disarray

The floods may be over. But the cup of woes for the students of government schools in the district still seems to be full.

The school classrooms, damaged by the rains and floods that started in August, are now out of bounds for the students. The classes, these days, are being held at temples, anganwadis, community halls or even under the trees/at corridors on the school premises.

Sometimes, two classes are combined, leaving little elbow room for the children. What compounds the worries for the children is the fact that the repair works have not even started.

The schools have vacations till October 20. But it is unlikely that the repair works will be undertaken within that period.

Schools have been damaged in most taluks of the district, coming under the educational districts of Belagavi and Chikkodi.

While 974 schools have suffered damages in the Belagavi educational district, the number has been put at 2,307 for the Chikkodi educational district. As for the classrooms, the numbers are 2,662 and 1,796, respectively.

The highest number of classrooms have been damaged in Khanapur taluk - 561. This is followed by Savadatti and Ramdurg, where 447 and 445 classrooms have been washed away, respectively.

In one instance, at Nadi Ingalagaon of Athani taluk, classes are being conducted in tin sheds.

The total losses have been estimated at Rs 316 crore. The district administration has sent a proposal to the government for Rs 46.14 crore, at Rs 2 lakh per school.

In some of the schools, kitchens of the mid-day meals programme, toilets and labs have been damaged due to the floods.

This has forced many students and teachers to relieve themselves in the open.