Jharsuguda:�Nearly 25 Kilometers from the Jharsuguda Town, students �of Nirgundihi Primary School located at Keldamal Gram Panchayat near Gudigaon village under Kolabira Block are facing problems due to contaminated water coming out of a hand pump located inside the campus.
The hand pump which was being installed in view to provide safe and clear water to the children�s of the school, is not providing safe drinking water instead the water coming out of it contains earthworms, Due to which the children�s of the school along with teachers and the Mid Day Meal cook has to fetch water from other sources located nearly half an kilometer away.
The school which has classes from standard 1 to 5, has 42 students, among which 18 are boys and 24 are girls.
As per the school authority this is not the first time this incident has taken place, Last year also such type of incident took place after it got repaired it was ok but presently it has re-occurred.
�We have already written to the BDO, Kolabira regarding this and have instructed the children of the school not to drink water from this hand pump till it has been repaired.� Says Head Master Devraj Patel
Usharani Marai, who is the MDM�s (Mid Day Meal) cook of the school says that, �Whenever the water comes out, it contains earthworms in it, even last year the same problem was there, even today the worms have come out from this hand pump in the morning, however the water used for cooking is being brought from other sources but small children�s after instructing also they drink water from this hand pump. Presently we are utilizing this water to wash utensils only.�
Dist. Education Officer Bikash Pradhan said that, �I have directed Block Education Officer and DPC (Dist. Project Co-ordinator) to look into the matter and provide them with necessary facilities.�
Even,�Block Education officer Smt. Lalita Nayak said that, �I have instructed SI of School to take immediate and necessary steps regarding this matter.�
