BENGALURU: The construction of a toilet block at a government school in Nekkundi Dommasandra village of Anekal taluk in Bengaluru Rural district, has been stalled due to opposition from a local resident, Nanjunda Reddy. Despite the school’s need for a functional toilet block, Reddy has been preventing construction by filling in the excavated foundation pits with soil.
The school, which currently has dilapidated toilets, had its existing toilets demolished by the gram panchayat authorities. However, the construction of new toilets has been halted due to Reddy’s interference. He claims that the land belongs to him and refuses to allow the construction to proceed.
The school has been allocated 6 guntas of land by the district administration and the school and toilet block were constructed in 2011 . However, Reddy is now opposing the construction of new toilets, citing ownership.
The students are suffering due to the lack of functional toilets and are forced to defecate in the open. The school headmaster has lodged a complaint against Reddy, and the Block Education Officer has promised to take action.
According to locals, Reddy is influential and has a history of filing false cases against villagers who question him. The police have also been unresponsive to the school’s complaints, it is alleged.
B M Walikar, headmaster of Nekkundi Dommasandra Government School, alleged that, Reddy is not allowing them to build a toilet, and the gram panchayat has taken up the construction work, including tiles and painting. “They are doing it with their own funds. They kept quiet till the demolition of the old toilet. There are 45 students who are pursuing education in this school. After a survey, the school building was constructed. There are three teaching staff”, he said.
Nanjunda Reddy, while refusing that it is government land, said, “It is private land, I have all the records. I will not allow them to build a toilet on my land. Let them check the survey numbers clearly. We applied to the panchayat. There is no other road to go to other houses, so let’s fight this legally. If the school has additional land, why should I part with my land to build a toilet? In case there is no space, I will leave my own property for the school children”.
