All 1,242 schools, including government, aided and unaided, reopened in Udupi district on Wednesday.
The schools were decorated to welcome students on the first day of the academic year. There were only group activities on the first day. Students were also treated to a sweet dish, mostly payasam, during the mid-day meals.
In many places, presidents of gram panchayats or other elected representatives distributed books to students. The timetable was drawn up but actual teaching would start on Thursday.
Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) K. Seshashayana told The Hindu that nearly 70 % of schools in the district had no water problem. However, the remaining 30 % of schools, especially in Udupi and Brahmavar taluks and also in Byndoor region, faced some water problem, he said.
Headmistress of Volakadu Government Composite School in Udupi city Nirmala B. told The Hindu that there were 1,500 students in the school. “The Udupi municipality provided 9,000 litres of water on Wednesday. Tap-water provided once in six days is expected on Thursday. This will help us to manage till Saturday,” she said.
The local municipal councillor has assured of providing water to the school. “If there is water shortage, there are instructions from the Department of Public Instruction to get its permission and let off students in the afternoon after conducting classes in the morning session. Hopefully, it will not come to that and there will be rain soon,” Ms. Nirmala said.
Meanwhile, Dinakar Babu, president of the Zilla Panchayat, visited some schools in the district.
