UT shows way, all schools have toilets, drinking water

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 29

Chandigarh and Lakshadweep are the only two union territories among 36 states and UTs in the country to have 100 per cent functionality of toilets and drinking water facilities in schools.

The Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) sent a communication in this regard to all states and UTs on January 15.

An analysis of the national level report on infrastructure details, which was generated on December 24 last year through the U-DISE+, reveals that in the northern region, a whopping 1,184 schools in Jammu and Kashmir do not have drinking water facility. Around 53 schools in Haryana also lack drinking water facility, followed by 22 schools in Punjab and 11 in Himachal Pradesh.

U-DISE is a database about schools in India.

The database is developed at the Department of School Education, MHRD, and maintained by the National Informatics Centre.

The MHRD, while making an exception for Chandigarh and Lakshadweep, has asked all states and UTs to comply with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, with respect to the provision for separate toilets for boys and girls, and safe and adequate drinking water facility for all children, in every recognised school, including private and aided.

“The state-wise U-DISE data for 2018-19 indicated gaps in availability and functionality of girls and boys’ toilets and drinking water facility in government schools. Therefore, it is requested to take expeditious action for the availability of sanitation and drinking water facilities in schools,” read the MHRD communication.

The MHRD has asked 34 states and UTs to intimate it about the action taken in this regard by February 15.