Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailing Prime Minister Narendra for taking tape drinking water to schools in Jammu & Kashmir shows that the central government is keeping it’s focus even on the availability of basic human needs to children in schools. Since schools in several parts of the country are reopening after remaining shut for almost two consecutive years due to two successive Covid lockdowns in last two years, the availability of tap drink water in schools across Jammu & Kashmir would ensure strict adherence to safety protocols particularly hand washing and proper sanitation in schools after restoration of normal class work expected anytime now. Interestingly a Parliamentary panel had early this year directed the Central Government to take hasty measures for setting up water purification or reverse osmosis (RO) plants in schools as this panel has in one of it’s recommendations unambiguously told the government to take up the matter with all such states and union territories which are lagging in providing drinking water and toilet facilities in their schools and anganwadi centers. Even if the covid-pandemic threat is not there, the tap drinking water facility in schools is otherwise a priority and rather an unavoidable compulsion as repeated washing of hands is an unavoidable precautionary measure for children becoming susceptible to water-borne diseases. It may be noted here that usually children do not drink enough during school hours and resultantly the issues of dehydration developing among children change into major health issues in the end. Interestingly health specials particularly pediatricians advise adequate and regular supply of fluid to children. Experiences have shown that children enrolled in schools go six or seven hours without a single drink, and even those who do drink usually drink less than they need. Wisdom demands that tap drinking water facility in schools should be a be as good a priority for the Governments in other states and union territories of the country as it is for the incumbent Governmentin Jammu & Kashmir.
Facilities of tap drinking water and good toilets are not only basic human needs for children but are also one of the key sources of attraction for enrolment of children in government run schools. In one of editorials “Kashmir Horizon” early this year had underlined the importance for even the transport facilities to the children of government run schools for the purposes of increasing the enrollments in government run schools. Hope government would focus on transport and toilet facilities in government run schools the way it has focused on tap drinking water facility in schools across Jammu and Kashmir.
Tap drinking water facility in schools and anganwari centers is a good beginning in Jammu & Kashmir but toilet facilities in schools is also equally important for a better hygienic environment in schools. Facilities of tap drinking water and good toilets are not only basic human needs for children but are also one of the key sources of attraction for enrolment of children in government run schools. In one of editorials “Kashmir Horizon” early this year had underlined the importance for even the transport facilities to the children of government run schools for the purposes of increasing the enrollments in government run schools. Hope government would focus on transport and toilet facilities in government run schools the way it has focused on tap drinking water facility in schools across Jammu and Kashmir.
