Teachers demand safe storage room in flood-hit schools

Every June and July, fear and anxiety grip residents of Lohian block. Since 2019, floods have wreaked havoc in the area twice—first in 2019 and again in 2023. The deluge turned lives upside down and the haunting memories still linger.

During both flood incidents, several schools located in low-lying areas of Lohian in the Shahkot subdivision suffered extensive damage. Now, with the Sikhya Kranti campaign currently underway in Punjab schools, Democratic Teachers Front Union President Kulwinder Singh has demanded the construction of an extra room on the top floor for the schools that are worst affected when floods strike.

Recently, the halqa incharge visited a government school in Mundi Cholian village for an inauguration under the ongoing campaign. Kulwinder Singh, a government school teacher and union president, said, “There are 10 schools that get adversely affected during the floods. In 2019, we were unaware of the extent of the damage. When we returned to the schools, we found our computers damaged, mid-day meal ration spoiled and school records in poor condition. In 2023, although teachers took most of the important material home, damage still occurred. So, if we get a separate room on the top floor, it will be helpful for us.”

During the 2023 floods, several government schools in the Lohian block were submerged—some under as much as 8 feet of water. The Tribune team had also visited the flood-affected villages of Mundi Cholian, Madala Channa, Nawan Pind (Khalewal), Gidderpindi and Mehrajwala and found schools inundated.

Teachers feared collapsing washrooms, walls and widespread damage to infrastructure—including desks, chairs and mid-day meal rations, recalling their experience from the 2019 floods. Two schools in flood-hit Lohian—Government Primary School (GPS), Mundi Shehrian, and GPS, Dhakka Basti—remained submerged for nearly two months. During this time, classes for both schools were held at students’ homes.

Residents of low-lying villages said that the fear returns every year. Bagicha Singh, a farmer from Gatta Mundi Kasu village who lost his entire paddy crop in the floods, said, “Even after two years, I have not recovered from the loss. We can just pray that this disaster doesn’t hit us again.”