PARBAT, Oct 12: Every year, the District Coordination Committee and the District Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office (DDWSDO), Rolpa, publicize a report showing the increase in people's access to drinking water in Kushma Municipality. However, that's not the real picture as more than 400 students in the district are struggling for drinking water in their school for years.
Despite several efforts to increase the students' access to drinking water at Janata Sudarshan Higher Secondary School (JSHSS) of ward no.12 of the Municipality, the students are still deprived of the basic amenity. There is not even a single water tap at the school. According to Meghnath Acharya, principal of JSHSS, no availability of water is a major problem of the school.
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There is no settlement around the school as it is situated near a jungle. Unfortunately, due to the lack of water at the school, the students are compelled to roam around the villages in search of water even by missing their classes. “It's hard for us to stay for hours without drinking water,” said Sangita Subedi, a 10th grader of the school, adding, “If we had access to drinking water at the school, we would not have to miss our classes.”
However, Subedi is not the only student who has to deal with this problem alone as there are more than 400 students in the school facing the same problem. Principal Acharya informed Republica that even after taking initiatives, the school authority has not been able to bring water as there are no sources of drinking water available nearby.
Even the condition of the school toilet is pathetic as there is no water. “Students have neither been able to drink water nor go to toilet due to the lack of water,” said Rajeshwor Subedi, Chairperson of the School Management Committee. Though DDWSDO has planned to provide water to 80 households through lift system, the project is yet to be implemented. “We would have implemented the project on time, but the lack of water sources is a problem,” said Prem Prasad Dotel, Chief of DDWSDO.
