Six months after, students of flooded Barmer schools studying in tents

Six months after their school buildings got submerged in rain-induced floods at Gudamalani and Dhorimanna blocks in Barmer district, 125 students of the schools are forced to study in tents in freezing cold.

In July, torrential rain had flooded many parts of the district. Gudamalani and Dhorimanna blocks were the worst affected after the rain damaged a Narmada canal on July 21 and gushing water submerged dozens of villages. The villagers shifted to safer places due to water-logging in the villages.

During the flood-like situation, schools also remained closed for some days. After the rain stopped, schools reopened, but at some places, where the school buildings were submerged, authorities arranged for tents to run the schools.

Six months after, the government primary schools at Opanadi under the Ariniyali gram panchayat and Virhat Raiko Ki Dhani under the Chainpura gram panchayat, which were also among such schools, continue to run in the tents. In this freezing of cold of December, 75 students of Opanadi and 50 students of Virhat Raiko Ki Dhani, are forced to study in the tents.

Confirming the report, Laxmanlal Solanki, the block education officer at Dhorimanna, said that buildings of the two schools are still submerged in water. “We (the authorities) have arranged some tents and running schools in them so that the students could complete their syllabus in time,” he said, adding that there is no other option, as other schools in the area are outside six kilometre radius.

Claiming that they have chosen safe location to run the schools, Solanki said that he has no idea about clearing out water from the school buildings. “We are trying to get sanction for new school buildings, as after remaining in water for a long time, these school buildings will not be safe,” he added.

Prakash Bishnoi, a social activist, accused the authorities of negligence. “During the relief operation, the only focus of authorities was to evacuate the stranded people,” he said, adding that since then they have been neglecting the flood-affected people.

“No system has been put in place to cater to the basic need of those who were relocated to safer locations,” alleged Bishnoi, adding that the affected people met the authorities and local representatives to arrange for the school building, but their pleas when unheeded.