Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mat 17: Because of worsening situation of drinking water supply, the deputy director of Dakshina Kannada PU education department has approached the district adminstration and director of the state PU Board, seeking to postpone the reopening day of PU classes.

Acting deputy director of the department in this district, Kusharathi, said that this letter was addressed by taking into account a petition sent by the Dakshina Kannada district PU Colleges Principals Association and also the water crisis the district has been facing.

The PU Colleges Principal Association had requested the department to postpone the reopening dates of both PU first and second classes because of rising temperatures and acute shortage of water. The petition has noted the rationing system for water introduced in the city and the struggle for clean drinking water witnessed elsewhere. It also has drawn the attention of the officials to the challenge of providing large amount of water to students for drinking, toilets, and other daily uses if the PU colleges are opened on May 20 as planned.

The district as of now has 199 PU colleges, which will go up to 205 from the new academic year. PU colleges normally have water tanks with a capacity of 10,000 litres and this water would be sufficient for only one day. Member of the association, Dr Kishore Kumar Rai, says that under the rationing system, getting so much water and providing the same in sufficient quantities poses a challenge.

Schools: The water shortage may also affect the reopening of primary and high schools. These schools are scheduled to reopen after summer holidays on May 29. Unless it rains by then, many schools may encounter water shortage. Many schools have their own water sources. Deputy director of pubic instructions of Dakshina Kannada district, Y Shivaramayya, said that report would be sent to the deputy commissioner of the district about the schools which face problem of water shortage. The department is hopeful that by the time the schools reopen there will be some rainfall and water shortage problem would be addressed automatically.