Parents worried by leaky roof, drenched walls of residential school for Scheduled Tribe children in Karnataka

The school is meant for students from classes 1 to 5, and has 120 students, Including children of Hakki-Pikki and Shillekyata tribal communities settled at Angadihalli in Belur taluk of Hassan district.

Students of the Valmiki Ashrama Shaale at Hagare in Belur taluk of Karnataka are a miserable lot during the monsoon because of a leaking roof, wet floor, and drenched walls that intensify the cold.

Thanks to poor waterproofing of the roof, the walls become wet during rains. The ceiling of the roof is peeling off, exposing the quality of construction. The children and staff get through the monsoon hoping that no wall collapses.

When The Hindu visited the residential school, which is meant for children of tribal communities, earlier this week, three of the nine classrooms were locked. The staff said the classrooms remain closed as the cement plastering has been peeling off. Staff do not hold classes in those three rooms to protect students from any untoward incident.

During the rains, the floors in the kitchen and dining hall turn slippery, as the roof is leaking. The staff spread gunny bags and water containers to prevent the floor from getting wet.

The residential school was functioning in a rented building before shifting to a new building on November 10, 2014. The school is meant for students from classes 1 to 5, and has 120 students, Including children of Hakki-Pikki and Shillekyata tribal communities settled at Angadihalli in Belur taluk of Hassan district.

Hooraja, a leader of the Hakki-Pikki community, said that the government of Karnataka sanctioned over ₹4 crore in three instalments for the school in the last 10 years.

“It is only a 10-year-old building. However, the present condition of the structure reveals how poorly it was built. The waterproofing of the ceiling is substandard. Within a short period, the ceiling started peeling off. I am worried about the safety of children in the school. My grandchildren are enrolled there,” said Hooraja, who is a member of Hassan district vigilance and monitoring committee of the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.