Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, May 29: Students will begin attending schools from May 31 after the summer holidays. However, teachers are supposed to report on May 29 in order to get the school ready for students. Pre-university colleges are also going to get reopened from June 1.

As the pre-monsoon rain lashed Dakshina Kannada in the past two years, there was no shortage of water. However, this year the pre-monsoon rains have not poured as expected. So water scarcity is seen in urban as well as rural areas. This will affect the schools also. Reports in this regard are already sent to higher officials and orders are awaited.

Areas like Puttur, Sullia, Beltangady and Bantwal might not be affected as pre monsoon rains were good in these places. However, Mangaluru rural and city areas are worst hit. MCC is also rationing water and this might affect the school children.

DDPI Dayananda Nayak said, “Water is essential for preparing midday meals, drinking and toilet purposes in schools. We have already held the taluk BEOs and assessed the water issue situation. We have requested local panchayats to supply water through tanker to schools. If the monsoon begins in first week of June, all issues will be resolved.”

PU colleges are also going to begin on June 1. As there are hostels in private PU colleges, water scarcity will affect the inmates badly. Director of PU colleges has already called a meeting of principals of PU colleges on May 29 and all issues including shortage of water will be discussed.

Deputy commissioner Ravikumar M R said that necessary action will be taken by the district administration to deal with the situation of water shortage.