Noida govt schools flooded, kids wade their way to classrooms

Overflowing washrooms, submerged approach roads a yearly problem, say teachers, authorities providing no solutionAyantika.Pal

Noida: Heavy rain over the past two days has left several govt primary schools in Noida battling severe waterlogging, with reports of a building collapse and a snake sighting triggering concerns about children’s safety.After Wednesday’s downpour, students had to wade through stagnant water to reach classrooms as campuses got flooded and made entrances inaccessible. In a few other schools, water also entered washrooms and corridors and clogged drains, causing sewers to overflow.Several teachers said this is a recurring problem across schools in Noida every monsoon.At Primary School Mirzapur, the entire campus remained submerged even a day later, with waterlogging reported at the entrance, inside the school compound and near classrooms.“The entire pathway leading to the school gets flooded. Water also accumulates near the washrooms and remains stagnant for days,” a teacher at the school told TOI.She added that the school had repeatedly written to Noida Authority and the basic education department but they have not provided any solution so far.Teachers said prolonged waterlogging has also resulted in thick vegetation growing around the campus, increasing the risk of snakes and insects entering the school.

“A few days ago, a snake was spotted near the mid-day meal kitchen. Children are naturally scared, and we are equally concerned,” a teacher added.Similar complaints were reported from several govt schools in the city’s rural areas, where overgrown bushes, poor drainage and stagnant rainwater have become recurring monsoon hazards. Teachers said waterlogged pathways often make it difficult for young children to even reach the school entrance.

Praveen Sharma, district president of UP Teachers’ Association, said teachers from across Noida flagged multiple infrastructure issues on Thursday morning. “Waterlogging has become a recurring problem in several govt schools. Moreover, several school buildings are in a dilapidated condition and the safety of children cannot be compromised,” he said.Sharma said a dilapidated building at Primary School Kasna also collapsed on Thursday, though no one was injured as students were not present there.“It is the responsibility of the authorities concerned to ensure basic infrastructure in govt schools. Every monsoon, the same issues — waterlogged campuses, leaking buildings, blocked drains and unsafe surroundings — are reported, but permanent solutions remain elusive. At Primary School Tughalpur, water has remained stagnant for several days,” he said.Noida has 511 govt primary schools, many of which are located in low-lying or rural areas vulnerable to flooding. Teachers said while schools receive an annual composite grant of Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 based on enrolment, the funds are largely spent on classroom essentials, leaving little scope for improving drainage, repairing boundary walls or raising campus levels to prevent flooding.