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Civic body to pay students to purchase bottled water
Unable to provide quality potable water in its schools, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to pay up Rs 100 to each student to purchase water bottles so that they can fetch clean water from home.
The move of the civic body seems irrational as it will not be in a position to force any parent to buy water bottle with financial assistance provided by the Corporation. Hence, the whole purpose of granting financial aid to them may be defeated.
However, justifying the move, a senior official said unclean water being consumed by the students might lead to sickness; hence, it was proposed to provide water bottle to them. "But purchasing these containers by the MCD is a herculean task, which may require lot of efforts and money too. Moreover, if there is any inadvertent shortcoming in tendering or purchase, allegations may be made. Therefore, it was resolved to give cash to them so that they can make purchase themselves," he said. It was also said the agency has been writing to the Delhi Government to regularise water supply in these schools, but so far adequate steps have not been taken."
There are people who did not like the idea of giving cash to students instead of water bottles. "To cover up their inability to provide water facility to students in schools, they came up with the idea to provide bottles. Now, they are distributing money instead of bottles. It is their duty to provide water in schools. If one does not buy water bottles, how they can force them for that. The idea will flop," said Leader of Opposition Jai Kishan Sharma.
After a survey of 12 zones, total 75 schools have been indentified in which no proper water supply is available. In these schools, a total of total 97,210 students have been studying who will be be given Rs 100 for the water bottles. There are 63 schools in which no Delhi Jal Board (DJB) piped water supply is available and 70,202 students studying in these schools drink underground boring water and use it for all other purposes.
Unable to provide quality potable water in its schools, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to pay up Rs 100 to each student to purchase water bottles so that they can fetch clean water from home.
The move of the civic body seems irrational as it will not be in a position to force any parent to buy water bottle with financial assistance provided by the Corporation. Hence, the whole purpose of granting financial aid to them may be defeated.
However, justifying the move, a senior official said unclean water being consumed by the students might lead to sickness; hence, it was proposed to provide water bottle to them. "But purchasing these containers by the MCD is a herculean task, which may require lot of efforts and money too. Moreover, if there is any inadvertent shortcoming in tendering or purchase, allegations may be made. Therefore, it was resolved to give cash to them so that they can make purchase themselves," he said. It was also said the agency has been writing to the Delhi Government to regularise water supply in these schools, but so far adequate steps have not been taken."
There are people who did not like the idea of giving cash to students instead of water bottles. "To cover up their inability to provide water facility to students in schools, they came up with the idea to provide bottles. Now, they are distributing money instead of bottles. It is their duty to provide water in schools. If one does not buy water bottles, how they can force them for that. The idea will flop," said Leader of Opposition Jai Kishan Sharma.
After a survey of 12 zones, total 75 schools have been indentified in which no proper water supply is available. In these schools, a total of total 97,210 students have been studying who will be be given Rs 100 for the water bottles. There are 63 schools in which no Delhi Jal Board (DJB) piped water supply is available and 70,202 students studying in these schools drink underground boring water and use it for all other purposes.
