Alappuzha: Swami Vivekananda Higher Secondary School (SVHSS) at Pandanad in Alappuzha district, facing Pampa river, is awaiting philanthropists to get going after the floods that damaged everything.
Established in 1983 by Swami Vivekananda Education and Charitable Society, the tile-roofed buildings of its UP section, including five classrooms, is now in a near collapse condition. The authorities are yet to provide a fitness certificate before they could resume classes in the building.
Floors of classrooms have cracked up, benches, desks and blackboards washed away, and the cleaning works are still going on.
The school with a strength of 1200 students from class V to XII was the proud of not only Pandanad but the entire Chengannur constituency.
The floods have left 22 students homeless while 121 others have their houses partially damaged. The school lost uniforms of 385 students, study materials of 450, eight buses, two labs worth Rs 30 lakh and some 10,000 books in the library.
"We get a lot of help from voluntary organisations and individuals, but nothing from the government," says M.C. Ambika Kumari, headmistress of the school. "We are still struggling to cope with the situation."
When the school reopened this month, the total strength was 41 per cent but it has gone up to above 80. Many families are living in rented houses. "We have managed to get study materials for all who lost them. A voluntary group has sponsored uniforms," she said. "Our primary concern is the unavailability of adequate toilets and urinals."
Of 17 bathrooms, ten were washed away, and rest is in a near-collapse condition. "We have informed the panchayat administration, but there's no alternative," she said. "An organic river water purifier has been installed in the school by a group of engineering students from Thiruvananthapuram. Students and teachers now drink purified river water. No well water is still safe."
Its manager V.S. Unnikrishnan Pillai says they're unable to bear the cost of rebuilding. They need Rs 5 lakh to lay tiles on the courtyard as the thick cloud dust destroy the atmosphere.
