One of the early dreams of the Messiah of social engineering — what lalu Prasad is unofficially designated as — is also living dangerously just like its master. One of the most talked about fodder scam convict is languishing in a Ranchi jail, about 25 kilometers from a Charwaha Vidyalaya that seems to be on its last legs.
The school at Kamre-Jhiri of Kanke block was the one among hundreds of others opened in early nineties throughout Bihar (the part of Jharkhand separated from Bihar in 2000) to make the marginalized and destitute cattle grazers familiar with letters. The little peep into the world of elementary education, what the social empowerment is all about, has here turned futile, irrelevant and misfit due to various reasons.
The Pioneer visited the Charwaha Vidyalaya and came across the facts that just 24 children, mostly of lohar community settled temporarily at Tender village, are enrolled in the school "officially". The original school building made up of stone blocks was inaugurated by the then Bihar Chief Minister lalu Prasad himself in 1994. A small check-dam was also built adjacent to the building to prevent rainwater from flowing down and have ample grass for cattle.
"The building was well maintained and used to cater to students belonging to nearby villages such as Jhiri, Sundil, Tender, Tilta and Kamre. A sewing centre was also run for poor women," says Shibu Mahto, the lone para teacher appointed here for the students. The importance of the school saw a downslide by variety of reasons since then.
Mahto explained that now, all the villages have either primary or middle schools whereas Kamre has both. Besides growing option nearby, the Charwaha Vidyalaya got sandwiched between a mammoth garbage dumping yard run by A2Z waste management company on behalf of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation from front and Jharkhand Jaguar camp behind it.
"It becomes impossible to reach the school the day it rains. Unbearable stink of the garbage makes any educational activity impossible here. The school campus is on 25 acres of 'gair majarua' land, but has been encroached upon from both the sides," added the teacher. The only way to reach the school that has been virtually caved in due to the pile of solid waste is to cross the hell-like landfill.
The original building has now gone roofless and a newly made structure has come-up about two years ago with all the sarkari tamjham. It has menu chart for mid-day meal guaranteeing at least 450 calorie for the primary schools goers, a hand-pump and three locked classrooms. "Till 2009, some children used to come here, but since the dumping ground came here and another school opening at Tender village, not more than nine to ten children normally attend out of the 24 registered," said Mahto.
Situation is so that due to safety concerns coordinator-cum-cook Puja Devi refused to come to the school and instead prepares meal at her home itself. The teacher carries every day the food so that the school can be kept afloat and children come at least to take lunch. The hardship even forced the only permanent teacher Akla Nanda appointed for the Charwaha Vidyalaya to go about 15 kilometers away on deputation to a primary school at lalgutwa.
When contacted, Baldeo lohra, president of the 'gram siksha samiti' said that time is running out for the school, once acclaimed very highly. "I think if school is shifted to Dahughat village, it could get sufficient number of students. But here, it is very difficult to operate." Similar is the observation of the Block Education Officer who has reportedly told Mahto along with lohra to report higher officials about the difficulties so that recommendation to shut it down can be made. Attempt to contact the BEO could not yield anything.
"At a meeting of the samiti, which took place on August 7 we were told to report about sanitation, road, rain water, safety and dismal attendance to higher officials. I have also stopped marking attendance in the register now. The school has left Rs 3,600 for dresses to the children and about 18 sets of ready uniforms. I will return those soon," said the teacher. Moreover some assurance has come from Hatia MlA Naveen Jaiswal who is in the favour of running the school.
Irrespective of the facts, the likes of Krishna Thakur (6), Charki Orain (8), Manoj lohra (10), Sandeep Oraon (9) — some of the pupils of lalu’s Charwaha dream — are still keeping the lantern kindling, though unaware with the fate of their master lalu that is not much different at the present moment.
