Tribal school in Khed stays shut over water crisis

While politicians across the country indulge in loaded debates about textbook content, language compulsions and students’ meals, a school tucked away in a small village of Maharashtra, some 70-odd km from Pune, is facing a complete shutdown — all because there is not a drop of water available there to sustain either the children or their teachers.

Such is the crisis at the Government Adivasi Ashramshala (a residential school for students from tribal communities) at Kohinde Khurd village of Khed taluka that its teachers have officially chosen to stop all classes till the problem is resolved. Moreover, when the principal followed up with the local panchayat samiti for help, requesting them to send at least one tanker a day, its members refused, claiming that tanker allocation is done in the beginning of summer, so sparing one for the school now just won’t be possible.

On the other hand, officials from the state tribal department said they would ensure the school restarts soon. It has been more than five days since schools across the state reopened for this academic year, but on Friday, barely 14 students from Classes I to Xcould be seen seated in a classroom of the ashramshala when Mirrorvisited the premises. These children were called in by teachers to celebrate the mandatory Yoga Day, and hail from nearby villages — the ones who could return home after the event was over.

Except for this occasion, the school has been kept shut since the first day of the academic year on Monday this week. Over 182 students and their parents who had come to drop their children off to school on Day 1had to return home right away, when they were told the school was facing a water crisis like never before. One such student is Amol Lote, who is in Class X.

He walked to school twice this week from his home, 6 km away in Velawade village, to check if classes were on — but returned dejected. His aunt Alka Lote, whose children also study at the ashramshala, said all its students from their vasti are equally anxious. Stating that they have been excitedly preparing to go back to school since June, Alka shared, “They went to a nearby village to buy all the required textbooks and stationery.

On the designated day, we took them to school like every year, with bags and books — but a parents’ meeting was called to inform us about the setback. Since this is a residential school, water is of the utmost importance. Teachers have clarified that there isn’t even enough to run the school for a day — there is just no other option but to stay shut.”

Mahesh Bhalinge, a Class X student who comes to school from a village almost 15 km away, said, “This is a crucial year and we are worried about our studies. Not a single class has been taken since our school was supposed to reopen. We cannot study at home the way we do in school. I came here again hoping the school would at least let us stay on campus — but now, I just have to return.”

An indicator of how bad water conditions are is a well dug right in the middle of a riverbed a few metres away, which has almost gone dry. Few puddles can be seen in the bed of the Bhama river, which is normally full from the backwaters of Bhama Askhed dam. So dry is the riverbed that it has turned into a shortcut for children headed home.

As the school is residential, teachers staying on campus are suffering, waking up at 4 am every day to fill up water from the only hand pump available on the premises. The principal in-charge on Friday, NG Waghule, told Mirror, “Bhama Askhed dam’s backwaters are just a few metres away and we had dug a well nearby, too. Normally, between these two, we manage our water situation with a few tankers.

By the time school starts, so does the monsoon. But this year, there is a delay in rainfall. The well has dried up and borewells went dry before December. There is no source left for us.” As they wanted at least a few classes to start, principal Ganesh Gawade has visited the panchayat samiti twice over last week. Considering the requirements of 350 students already enrolled and 100 new admissions, he requested them to send three tankers of water a day to fulfill the 9,000-litre water requirement.

Gawade said, “Even if we get one tanker a day, we could at least start some classes. But, I was told that planning and distribution of tankers was done in May. Since we didn’t put in a request, we cannot get a tanker now. We have never had to face such a crisis before — how could we have known almost two months ago?” Quizzed about this, panchayat samiti members claimed supply of water to the school would start only after permissions were in place.

Khed panchayat samiti block development officer Balasaheb Dhawale Patil said, “I received the letter regarding this case on Friday. For a tanker to be sent, a process must be followed. It needs approval from the collector or deputy collector. At present, we don’t have any tankers being sent to that area, nor any spare ones. I am trying to check if we can get any from corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds. If the school knew it would face such a crisis, a proposal should have been submitted well in advance. Sending a tanker at the last minute becomes difficult. Despite that, we are trying to see what can be done.”

Interestingly, state tribal department officials had no clue about the situation. Speaking to Mirror,Tribal Research and Training Institute (TRTI) joint director Nandini Awade said, “I learnt about the development only on Friday and immediately contacted to the authorities concerned. They have assured us that they will arrange for tanker service to the school to resolve the problem temporarily. We are hoping to reopen the school soon.”