Groping in the dark: School kids left to study in dark as DEOs default on power bill payments

HYDERABAD: Telangana may have become a power surplus state but students in several government schools in the city are still groping in the dark.  They are seen studying in dark classrooms and intermittently fanning themselves with their books. Reason, however, is nothing but lackadaisical attitude of the officials concerned.  

Teachers at some of such schools, who requested anonymity citing threat to their job, said the district educational officers, who are responsible for paying the electricity bills, do not make regular payments, resulting in Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL) snapping power connections to schools.

In the Government Primary and High School at Rasoolpura, the 290 students from classes I to X are taught in dark and poorly ventilated rooms. Each class has  25 to 30 students. Electricity bills of this school have not been paid for the last one year.

“Every few days there is a power outage. Local leaders approach discom officials and get the connection restored but the connection is snapped again due to non-payment of bills. We have brought the issue to the notice of deputy DEO but nothing has happened,” said Nayeema Sultana, principal of the school.
Apart from braving the heat, students also have to put up with water scarcity.

“When there is no electricity, there is no water too. Girls students, in particular, face inconvenience because of this. On days when there is no electricity, the attendance particularly in higher classes nosedives,” said a teacher. At the Government Primary and High School in Punjagutta, the power bills are paid once in five or six months. “But thankfully the officials don’t snap the connection,” said B Srinivas, school in-charge. He was quick to add that the situation was not so good just a year ago when outages were frequent during summers. Government schools are not as lucky.  The primary schools are the worst hit.