The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday directed the State Government to complete all works regarding construction of toilets in the schools before the next academic session.
A division bench of Chief Justice R Banumathi and Justice Chandrasheker asked the State to complete all repair works of toilets before February 28, next date of hearing. The court was hearing a PIl initiated after it took
suo-motto cognizance on the basis of reports published in various newspapers.
“The court directed the State Government that all the works, both repair and construction, of new ones should be completed before the next academic year in all the government schools,” said special amicus curie in the case Anubha Rawat Chaudhary.
Taking into notice the circular issued by the State Government to get all those deserted toilets get repaired by January 23, the court also directed the State Government to submit a progress report on February 28, Chaudhary said.
“The court also observed that direction will soon be extended to the private schools where also the condition of toilets is not so good,” she added.
As per the status report submitted by the State Government, over 36 per cent toilets in Jharkhand schools are not in working condition due to lack of maintenance and other reasons. The report stated that out of 2,238 Government secondary schools, 327 schools do not have girl’s toilet while 380 schools do not have boy’s toilets in them. Further reports will be submitted by the Government on the next date after four weeks, added Chaurdhary.
Jharkhand High Court on November 21 issuing notices to the State Government asked them to explain the status of toilets in Jharkhand schools as well as the facilities being provided to the students in the girl’s schools and its plan to improve them.
According to the report submitted by the Government, out of a total of 4, 0177 elementary schools in the State, 3299 have no boy’s toilets while 4,211 have no separate girl’s toilet in them. Construction work however, is going on in 64 boy’s schools and 1,079 girl’s schools under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan which are expected to be completed by March 2014.
Similarly, out of 2,238 Government secondary schools, 327 schools do not have girl’s toilet while 380 schools do not have boy’s toilets in them.
It was revealed through a report prepared by the UNICEF about the pathetic conditions of the girl’s schools in Jharkhand — most of the girl’s schools did not have toilets in them and those having them did not have the basic facilities like water and privacy.
The UNICEF report further said that due to the pathetic conditions of toilets in schools, girls are reluctant to go to the schools leading to the increase in the drop-out rates as they feel unsafe and ashamed in using those toilets.
