Parents Threaten Mass Withdrawal Over Sewage Crisis at Uppinangady Govt School
In a dramatic escalation of a long-standing health and sanitation issue, parents of 630 students have issued an ultimatum to authorities: stop the sewage flowing along the boundary of Uppinangady's Government Upgraded Model School within one month, or they will pull their children out of the institution. This warning comes after years of fruitless appeals to address the untreated sewage that has been contaminating an open drain bordering the school campus.
Years of Ignored Appeals and Growing Health Fears
The persistent flow of untreated wastewater into the open drain has created a severe stench, unhygienic conditions, and mounting fears of a potential disease outbreak among students and staff. Parents, members of the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC), and school officials have repeatedly sought immediate intervention from local authorities to resolve this critical drainage problem, which has been pending for far too long.
Mohiuddin Kutty, an SDMC member, revealed the depth of the frustration, stating he has been pursuing this issue for five consecutive years. "We submitted complaints to almost every relevant department, including health, education, panchayat, and district administration," Kutty explained. "We even raised the matter during the Jana Spandana meeting conducted by the chief minister in Bengaluru. However, no concrete action has been taken. The local panchayat received our communications and conducted an inspection, but nothing changed beyond that."
A 190-Year-Old Institution in Peril
Kutty detailed how the rajakaluve (stormwater drain) near the school compound, instead of carrying rainwater, has been transporting wastewater from residential complexes and houses, eventually joining the river. This situation has caused significant inconvenience to the 190-year-old government school. "We tried everything and ran from pillar to post to resolve the issue, but there was no solution," Kutty lamented. "As a last resort, we decided not to send our wards to school as a mark of protest."
Local residents corroborated these concerns, highlighting that the open drain is directly causing health problems for children. They reported that parents and community members have submitted multiple memorandums to the Uppinangady panchayat, yet received no substantive response. One local resident posed a poignant question: "The school has about 630 children, including 75 in LKG and UKG. There is heavy mosquito breeding due to the drainage. Why are the local authorities not doing anything to find a solution to this? Is it because they are government school students?"
Alumni Association Joins the Protest
Adding weight to the protest, the school's old students' association has pledged its support to the SDMC and school authorities. Zachariah Kodipaddy, secretary of the alumni association, affirmed their commitment, saying, "We will support the SDMC and school authorities. We want to resolve this long-pending issue, which is an inconvenience to the students."
Authorities' Response and Lack of Comment
In response to the escalating crisis, Dr. HR Thimmaiah, the District Health Officer (DHO), stated that he would depute officers to inspect the affected area. "We will check and take necessary action if there is mosquito breeding in that school area," Dr. Thimmaiah assured. However, when attempts were made to contact Panchayat Development Officer Wilfred Lawrence Rodrigues for comment, he was not available, leaving questions about the local administration's plans unanswered.
The situation remains tense as the one-month deadline looms, with the future of hundreds of students hanging in the balance unless urgent measures are taken to address the sewage crisis at Uppinangady's Government Upgraded Model School.
