Ludhiana: DGSE issues monsoon instructions, teachers rue of vacation squandered for repair works

Tribune News Service

Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, June 28

The city witnessed pre-monsoon showers yesterday, revealing the lack of preparedness on the part of the district authorities. In light of the fact that government schools will reopen on July 1 following the summer break, the Director General of School Education has sent a letter — issued on June 26 — to all the District Education Officers requesting they begin preparing the buildings for monsoon rains. They have also been asked to address the issue of dampness during the monsoon.

The official has asked schools to ensure all the pipes coming from rooftops, if choked with pebbles and leaves or any kind of garbage, are cleaned. Besides, rainwater coming through the drainage pipes must not be allowed to get accumulated on the school premises and should flow into the drains. All pits on school premises also need to be covered.

Further, steps need to be taken so that the boundary walls are not damaged by heavy rain. The laboratories and computer rooms should be properly cleaned and toilets should be made operational and sanitised. The sewers need to be checked to address the possibility of backflowing. Besides, water tanks kept on the rooftops also need to be cleaned thoroughly.

A government school principal said the overall arrangements are being taken care of by the authorities as schools are to open on July 1. “If we need to do some construction work on the rooftop or along the boundary walls, how can it be done during the monsoon? The summer break provided ample time for such jobs but there was a lack of funds. Due to valuable time being squandered we would not be able to follow the instructions to the T,” rued the principal.

It may be mentioned here that barring some, most of the schools are facing one or the other issue. “Classrooms leak due to excessive rains and repairing to fix this can only be done during the drier parts of the year, ideally during the summer break. But they seem to take decisions on the eleventh hour. Consequently, these instructions remain on paper only,” rued a teacher at a government school in Haibowal. The teacher also added there is a dearth of regular staff and oftentimes help has to sourced from outside.

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