Gulping a glass of cold water, dress soaked in sweat, dreary face; seven-year-old Rahul, who came under a shed near Kokar chowk after his 3-km walk from Purulia Road, is among many schoolchildren who cope with the scorching sun this May.
With summer vacations still far away and no sign of sun scaling down its intensity, the days could become even tougher for children studying in different schools in Ranchi.
The situation is especially worrying for children of Government schools who walk up and down their schools carrying weights in barely manageable proportions on their back. Unlike their affluent counterparts studying in high-profile schools, students in most of the schools study in conditions quite uncomfortable at temperatures above 40 degrees.
Most of the Government schools do not provide bus facilities to their students so commuting becomes a nightmare under the prevailing circumstances. Buses provided by the schools are either overcrowded or poor in terms of providing a comfortable temperature inside to children.
Exhausted and resigned to his fate, Rahul, who was walking from Ranchi’s Main Road finally took shelter under a shed nearby a paan-shop in Kokar industrial area. Although uncharacteristic of a seven-year-old there are many more brave hearts of Rahul’s age who are braving the sun on their way back to home.
Rahul was only nodding to all the questions he was asked as he was completely worn out after walking for more than five kilometres.
Eight-year-old Nikhit, studying in class 3 was walking at a brisk pace in an attempt to dodge the heat waves while on his way back to home. Regardless of the short distance between his bus-stop and house, Nikhit was struggling with every subsequent step after walking for barely few meters from the bus-stop.
“(Garmi bahut jada hai aur aaj to papa bhi bus-stop pe nahin aa paye unko kuch kaam tha.) It’s too hot and today my father did not come because of some work,” was the innocent reply from Nikhit when asked about walking under blazing sun.
After quenching his thirst, Rahul started his walk towards his house hoping the sun to have mercy or the rain to come in for the rescue of children like him.
Meanwhile the District administration has asked the schools to start from 6.30 in the morning and continue till 11.00, however, it is unlikely to bring respite to children who still have to face afternoon blaze. “The schools will start from morning from May 4,” said Deputy Commissioner, Vinay Kumar Choubey.