New Delhi: At least 75 per cent of government school toilets audited in 15 states by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) were not found to be hygienically maintained, according to a report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. “During the survey, audit noticed that proper maintenance or sanitation was not available in 1,812 out of 2,326 toilets. 715 out of 1,812 toilets were not being cleaned. 1,097 toilets were being cleaned twice in a week to once in a month whereas, the norm was for daily cleaning at least once,” the report said.
“Thus, 75 per cent of selected toilets were not maintained hygienically. Cases of non-provision of soap, bucket, cleaning agents and disinfectants in toilets and inadequate cleanliness of pathways were also noticed,” it said. To achieve the objective of separate toilets for boys and girls within a year, the Ministry of Education (MoE) in 2014 launched the Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan (SVA) and sought cooperation of other ministries for construction of toilets in government schools by the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) under their administrative control.
In this project, 53 CPSEs participated and constructed 1,40,997 toilets as per the MoE. Ministry of Power, Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas extended significant support through CPSEs under their administrative control. Seven CPSEs of these three ministries constructed at least 5,000 toilets each and 1,30,703 toilets in total, at a cost of over Rs 2,100 crore. The CAG Audit examined the records pertaining to construction of toilets by these seven CPSEs and also conducted physical survey of a sample of 2,695 toilets across 2,048 schools in 15 states.
“Out of 1,967 coeducational schools surveyed by audit, 99 schools had no functional toilets while 436 schools had only one functional toilet. The objective of providing separate toilets for boys and girls was not fulfilled in these 535 schools (27 per cent of 1,967 schools), the report said. “Out of 2,326 constructed toilets surveyed, 691 (30 per cent) were found not in use mainly due to lack of running water, lack of cleaning arrangements, damages to the toilets and other reasons like use of toilets for other purposes, toilets locked up etc, it added.
Out of 2,695 toilets in the audit sample, the CPSEs did not construct 83 toilets though these toilets were identified by them for construction. In respect of remaining 2,612 toilets which were reported by CPSEs to have been constructed, 200 toilets were not found constructed in the respective schools and 86 toilets were found to be only partially constructed. The non-existing and partially constructed toilets constituted 11 per cent of toilets surveyed.
Out of 1,967 coeducational schools surveyed by Audit, 99 schools had no functional toilets while 436 schools had only one functional toilet. The objective of providing separate toilets for boys and girls was not fulfilled in these 535 schools (27 per cent of 1967 schools), the report said.
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