The Forests Department has accorded permission to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to construct a sanitary facility as well as Over Head Tanks (OHTs) to store drinking water in three Panchayat Union Primary Schools coming under the Pollachi Forest range and Pollachi Forest ranges.
These schools mostly benefit the tribal people community as a majority of its students are from forest areas. Official sources told The Hindu here on Friday that a permanent toilet would be constructed soon at Thirumoorthimalai Panchayat Union Primary School (PUPS) where, at present, there was only a temporary toilet.
The SSA had also received the nod for constructing two OHTs at Mavadappu PUPS and Kuzhipatti PUPS to store drinking water for the students. While five girls and a boy study at Thirumoorthimalai PUPS, 12 boys and three girls go to the Mavadappu PUPS. The Kuzhipatti PUPS has seven boys and an equal number of girls.
The SSA Coimbatore also has schools in Kurumalai and Amaravathi Nagar under its control and had made requests to construct additional facilities in these areas. However, these requests were denied by the Forests Department which cited legal and logistical problems in sanctioning them.
While Rs. 28,000 would be sanctioned by the SSA for OHTs, a sum of Rs. 1 lakh would be provided for constructing the toilet.
