Odisha to Enhance School Facilities with Comprehensive Water and Sanitation Upgrades

Bhubaneswar: To improve infrastructure in educational institutions, the Odisha government has announced a comprehensive plan to provide drinking water, tap water connectivity, rainwater harvesting facilities, and toilet provisions across all private, government, and government-aided schools in the state.

The initiative was discussed in a high-level coordination meeting held at Lok Seva Bhawan on Tuesday, chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja. The meeting brought together key officials from various departments to review the current status and strategize on the implementation of these essential facilities.

The Chief Secretary emphasized the importance of ensuring that all schools are equipped with these basic amenities. He directed concerned departments and executing agencies to work towards saturating all schools with the necessary facilities. “Sample surveys should be conducted to assess the ground realities and address any gaps in facility provision,” Ahuja instructed, underlining the need for practical assessments to achieve 100% performance in the system.

The School Education Department has been tasked with conducting a thorough assessment of the water needs in each school, considering factors such as student and staff numbers and existing infrastructure. This information will be submitted to the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department and the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water (PR&DW) Department to ensure that requirements are met effectively.

The H&UD Department, Public Health Engineering Organisation (PHEO), Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWS&S) under the PR&DW Department are responsible for connecting schools to reliable water supplies. They will install taps and water fountains at convenient locations within school premises as per the requirements outlined by the School & Mass Education Department.

A system for regular monitoring at the district level will be established to evaluate the functionality and adequacy of water facilities in schools. This will ensure that the facilities are operational and effectively meet the needs of the schools.

The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary of Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department Sushil Kumar Lohani, Principal Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Usha Padhee, State Project Director of Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA), and senior officials from the Department of Water Resources, WATCO, and PHEO. Engineers and officials from these departments also participated in the discussions.