Over 28 schools not ready to reopen

Schools in Chennai district have been closed for close to a month following heavy rain. Last week it was announced that all schools in the State would re-open on December 14. 

Manikandan and his family of four have been staying at the Government Model School in Saidapet since the past two weeks. He had a hut on the banks of Adyar river in Saidapet which was completely washed away. “The situation is so bad that I could not locate my hut or my belongings when I went back,” says Manikandan. Hundreds of families like him were given refuge on the school campus. However, they have been asked to vacate as schools are set to reopen. “Where are we expected to go,” asks Sarala, who works as a household help. She adds, “We cannot go back to our houses. They cannot ask us to leave until they make alternative arrangements,” she adds.

The school campus itself is in a poor state with garbage scattered all over the place. The taps in the toilet don’t work and people gave been relieving themselves everywhere. Garbage lies is in piles too. Though a group of volunteers did clean up during the weekend, the campus is still not suitable for use. “My classroom is still occupied by people. I don’t know what we will do once school reopens,” says Arun Kumar, a Class IX student. 

Hundreds of families were accommodated in several school premises across the city when the floods struck. While schools in many areas were vacated when the waters receded from the neigh-bourhood, others, whose houses were completely destroyed, have stayed put in the schools. 

For instance, the Corporation Primary School in Teynampet that was listed as one of the relief centres is now locked. “The people who came here stayed for two or three days. Most of the people had water inside their houses and weren’t able to cook. As soon as the situation got better, they left,” says a resident. Schools were given time till December 13 to clean up and most have ensured that the premises have been disinfected and fumigated. 

Asan Memorial in Egmore was used as a storage space for relief materials. “All the necessary steps have been taken and the relief materials have been cleared out. We are ready to resume from Monday,” says Suma Padmanaban, Principal. Parents are still worried about their children contracting an illness. “My child falls sick very often. I sometimes allow my son to eat in the canteen, but now I will ensure that I give him home-cooked food and boiled water for at least a month.”