A nuisance at school ground

A sub-contractor has kept construction materials on school ground, hampering academic activities of students at Jamla Gabtoli Government Primary School in Dumki upazila of the district.

Headmaster of the school filed a written complaint to the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) in this regard.

Sources at Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Dumki upazila said repair of carpeting work of 7 km road stretching from Dumki Thana Bridge to Mowkaron bazar via Jamla Gabtali has been started recently at a cost of Tk 3.46 crore. Contractor Ananta Bikash Tripura of Khagrachhari go\t the work.

But sub-contractor Nizamul Islam of Barishal is doing the work. He has kept construction materials there, said Headmaster Mahinur Begum.

On a recent visit to the area, this correspondent saw the school ground has been filled with construction materials, including stone, sand, mixture machine, gas cylinders and bitumen.

Around 20 labourers were engaged in mixing materials with mixture machine that made an unbearable sound and black smoke. Due to the situation, the school authorities have run their academic activities by closing all doors and windows. The students also cannot play games during leisure time.

Some students are facing respiratory problem for inhaling smoke coming out of the machine, said Headmaster Mahinur, adding that some guardians have already stopped sending their children to school.

She has already filed a complaint to the UNO but no step is yet to be taken in this regard, said Mahinur.

Md Naser Uddin, a student of Class V, said they feel breathing problem due to smoke being emerged from the mixture machine.

Upazila Primary Education Officer Monilal Shikder said he learnt about the matter and informed the UNO for taking proper steps in this regard.

Contacted, sub-contractor Nizamul declined to make any comment over the issue but his supervisor Md Maidul Islam said they kept construction materials on the school ground as there is no free space to keep those.

Patuakhali LGED Executive Engineer Chittojit Roy said he will take immediate steps in this regard.

UNO Sankar Kumar Biswas said he asked Ananta Bikash Tripura to remove the mixture machine from the school ground.