In the village of Karuru in Siraguppa taluk of Ballari, the students of Ambedkar Residential School, comprising 230 in total, are taking lessons within the confines of an APMC godown. This unique setup involves classrooms in the morning, transitioning into dormitories for the students in the evening and night. The surroundings, however, present a challenging environment, with lessons, meals, and games taking place amidst the dust, garbage, and bustling activities of people in the paddy piles.
The situation mirrors a previous report on the operation of a residential school at Cinema Talkies, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by Ambedkar Residential School in Karuru village. Despite the school’s inauguration with promises of a dedicated building, the reality portrayed in Cinema Talkies indicates minimal progress and years of neglect.
The lapse in attention from authorities or the apparent indifference of elected representatives has exacerbated the conditions of the school. Despite a large building being constructed, progress seems to have stalled since its inauguration a year ago. The 230 students, consisting of 140 boys and 90 girls, are compelled to take lessons and carry out daily activities in the APMC godown, which also serves as their dormitory. Remarkably, the school has been operating in this makeshift arrangement for the past seven or eight years.
Challenges abound, with only three toilets available for the children, necessitating dependence on open toilets for most. Adequate water facilities are also lacking, with only two taps provided for face washing, bathing, and laundry. Complicating matters further, the APMC godown, originally designed for agricultural activities, remains operational, resulting in students practicing amidst piles of paddy.
Despite a well-furnished building constructed at a cost of 27 crores on a 12-acre site, the school remains displaced, allegedly due to unspecified technical issues. The administrative failure in addressing the neglect of the residential school building in Karuru by officials and elected representatives is evident, casting a shadow on the overall state of such institutions in Ballari district.