Molalgutta (Adilabad): A number of newly-constructed toilets have become mere symbols in government schools. They are locked and not in use due to shortage of water and power supply to operate the water pump in the tribal areas in the old Adilabad district.
The Centre had sanctioned funds for the construction of toilets in all the government schools under Swacch Patashala Abhiyan.
Mr J. Peeraji, deputy warden of the tribal ashram school in Pothaguda, said the toilets were not in use due to a shortage of water and that they were getting purified water in cans from Indravelli for drinking and cooking purposes.
He said that a borewell was dug up to 700 feet deep in the hostel premises, but they were barely getting two buckets of water a day from it. A hand bore was defunct.
Thodasam Jarubai, a Class 5 student, said the students didn’t use the toilets and went outdoors to relieve themselves near rivulets and streams, as the toilets didn’t have any water in them.
Teacher Seetharam Rathod of the primary school in Molalgutta in the Khandala gram panchayat said two toilets that were meant for boys and girls were not in use due to a lack of water supply.
The pump could not be operated due to lack of power supply, though there was a borewell which had some water in it. A plastic pipeline supplying water to the toilets was also broken.
