62 school buildings in need of repair in Dakshina Kannada

Mangaluru: Close on the heels of the collapse of a school building in Kinya near Ullal, the department of public instruction has said that there are 62 such buildings across Dakshina Kannada, that need immediate attention.
According to data available with TOI, 62 schools have been identified, and the school in Kinya was among them. Officials from the department of public instruction added after the Kinya school incident, BEOs in the district will do a survey again, to find any school where repairs are needed immediately, and the process is on for the same.
The case worker for school repairs said that a majority of dilapidated school buildings are situated in Puttur, Mangaluru taluk and Bantwal. There are two schools in Puttur, where the buildings are in a condition similar to the school in Kinya, and may collapse at any time. However, with help of the SDMC and locals, these two schools have been covered, to safeguard them from rain and from collapsing.
Of the 62 schools, 10, 14 and 15 schools are in Puttur, Mangaluru and Bantwal taluks, respectively. It is estimated that Rs 1.8 crore is required to repair them. “We have prepared the list and done an estimation. The funds are yet to be sanctioned. The list will be again updated after BEOs submit another report, which is likely to be received in a day or two,” said the case worker.
The major work at the dilapidated schools is roof replacement, followed by repairing walls and floors. The schools that have a shortage of classrooms, have been shifted to nearby buildings, or classes are conducted in auditoriums. In Kinya, classes are being held in a madrassa near the school. “The repair work will begin only after the monsoon ends,” said the case worker.
Dakshina Kannada ZP CEO Kumar said that there is a provision to give Rs 1.5 lakh to each school, to carry out repairs. “We have made the estimation. The outdoor work is likely to start after the monsoon, while indoor work may begin anytime soon,” he added.