Chhattisgarh: Students forced to study in a Solid Waste Management Unit

In Chhattisgarh's Manendragarh district, around 100 students from Class 1-8 are studying in a Solid Waste Management Unit. Their school was declared unsafe, and officials directed them to this temporary, unsuitable tin-shed structure.

While efforts are being made to promote comfortable learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI) education and infrastructure development, a government school in Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district presents a different reality, with students attending classes inside a Solid Waste Management Unit building. Despite officials being aware of the situation, no permanent solution has been implemented so far, and the waste management unit building has temporarily turned into a classroom for students.

Students Forced into Garbage Unit

In Narayanpur Gram Panchayat of Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district, around 100 students from Class 1 to Class 8 are studying inside a tin-shed structure of a Solid Waste Management Unit after the school building was declared unsuitable due to its dilapidated condition. With limited space available, students are struggling to sit comfortably, while the environment remains unsuitable for learning. The school building’s poor condition has also resulted in rainwater seeping inside classrooms.

Staff Voices Concerns Over Unsuitable Conditions

School headmaster Narayan Singh Markam said that the matter was brought to the notice of senior officials verbally as well as in writing, following which instructions were issued to conduct classes in the nearby Solid Waste Management Unit building as a temporary arrangement. “Around 107 children are studying in the school,” Markam said. He further said that initially the garbage collection vehicle was kept outside, but it is now being parked inside the premises, adding to the problems. He said children are hesitant to come out due to fear of insects.

Teacher Sanjay Kumar Khare said that whenever it rains, water enters the school building, following which senior officials directed that classes be conducted in the waste management unit building. “How can children from Class 1 to Class 8 study in a garbage building?” he questioned.

Khare said the situation has remained unresolved for the past three to four years despite repeated alerts to the administration. “According to the directives of senior officials, we have only the option left to conduct classes in the garbage building,” he said.

Official Response and Future Plans

District Education Officer (DEO) Ravikant Yadav said that after learning about the situation, he sought a report from the Block Education Officer (BEO). “According to the BEO, the condition of the school building is not proper and rainwater seeps from the roof. Keeping the safety of children in mind, the school is operational at the nearby building of a Solid Waste Management Unit, which is vacant. A detailed report in this connection has been sought from the BEO,” Yadav said.

The DEO further said that a proposal for repairing the school building would be called for and an estimate would be forwarded to the government. The repair work will begin after receiving necessary financial and administrative approvals.

(ANI)

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