New Delhi: The Supreme Court has expressed “shock and surprise” over 1662 schools in Andhra Pradesh not having overhead tank with running water facility and said that girl students do not go to school or drop out because of lack of facilities.
A bench comprises Justices Dipak Misra, A M Khanwilkar and M N Shantanagaudkar said that it is obligatory on the part of the state government to provide the basic facility of running water in toilets.
“We have laid emphasis that the girl students do not go to school or drop out of the school because of lack of facilities. Availability of separate toilets for boys and girls in the schools is an imperative.”
“A welfare State cannot remain oblivious to the same. We express our shock and surprise that out of total number of 2739 schools in the Vizianagaram district, 1662 schools are yet to be provided with the facility of overhead tanks and running water,” the bench said.
It asked the state chief secretary to take steps for ensuring running tap water with overhead tanks in toilets in the schools in the district promptly and positively before the next date of hearing.
The bench directed the chief secretary to file a personal affidavit of compliance.
Advocate Sravan Kumar, appearing for Telangana Parents Foundation, said that at present there are 4699 vacancies of teachers in school.
The apex court asked the chief secretary to specify in his personal affidavit as why the vacancies of teachers are not filled up till now and what steps are being taken in this regard.
With regard to another 8792 vacant posts of teachers, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said that there is no necessity for issuance of a notification and the State Public Service Commission shall conduct the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for filling up the vacancies.
The apex court said that the commission shall take necessary steps to fill up the vacancies within three months. It was hearing a plea filed by Hyderabad-based advocate J K Raju seeking toilet facilities in school.
Telangana Parents Foundation and Unemployed Youths of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have intervened in the matter seeking filling up of vacancies of teachers in both the states.
PTI