TRANSFORMING PROCESS on ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN ASSAM & PROGRESS/STATUS OF ASSESSMENT AXOM SARBA SIKSHA ABHIJAN MISSION KAHILIPARA, GUWAHATI- 19

Introduction :  Environmental Assessment of school buildings or appraisal is a recent inclusion in the project management system.  The need for it arises out of two major considerations: – – Stakeholders’ consciousness towards protection/prevention of school environmental issues. : – Strengthening stakeholders’ belief in profitable proposition : o To Implement Hazard-free School project o Benefit of creation of school environment where hazards / pollution etc. is controlled is controlled  Necessity is sustained by – – The thematic approach of stakeholders for infrastructure growth in and around the school campus by generating awareness among the target groups. – Stakeholders’ approach. TRANSFORMING PROCESS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN ASSAM & PROGRESS/STATUS OF ASSESSMENT

Approach to school environment Environmental assessment of school building was started from Dec’08. Format was developed for capturing the key indicators on which assessment will be made. Format was circulated to the district for collecting the data through technical person available at district level. Compilation of data was done at district level and consequently at State level on receiving the report from district. The parameter included in the format for environmental assessment are detailed below: (A) SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT OF SCHOOL CAMPUS: i) Location of school: Commercial place, Low lying area, Industrial area, near National Highway, free from all ii) Effect of pollution: Water, Air, Noise, Dust & free from all (B) SCHOOL CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT: i) Type of construction: Assam type, RCC, Combined RCC & Assam type ii) Toilet & Drinking water facility iii) Cook shed for MDM iv) Electricity v) Open space for plantation & gardening etc. vi) Permanent boundary wall vii) Waste disposal (solid & liquid) viii) Photographs of school campus (C) CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT: i) Classroom with CFE, BaLA items, CWSN facility & TLM etc. ii) Safety measure in classroom iii) Sufficient ventilation and natural light iv) Inside photo of classroom

Sl No.District Total nos. of school within the District Nos. of schools for environmental assessment made No. of schools assessed upto 31 st March 2010 (in %) 1Barpeta Bongaigaon Cachar Dhubri Darrang Dhemaji Dibrugarh Goalpara Golaghat Hailakandi Jorhat Karbi Anglong Kamrup Karimganj Kokrajhar Lakhimpur Morigaon N.C.Hills Nagaon Nalbari Sivasagar Sonitpur Tinsukia Total No. of school and the schools for which environmental assessment are made (31/3/2010)

[Diagrammatic representation of total nos. of school within the district & nos. of schools for environmental assessment made in district wise as follows] The Environment Assessment for school is in progress and present status of progress is more than 80%

(A) Surrounding Environment: (i) Location of school:  Environmental assessment survey is conducted in schools to judge the location of different categories of school.  Out of schools assessment reports are prepared for schools.  The location wise assessed schools with respect to surrounding environment is shown in table below: Assam Located in less than 1.00 km from N.H. Located near commercial place Near low lying area Located near Industrial area Free from all above Total = Percentage10.24%9.19%11.22%1.21%68.13% 10% 9% 11% 1% 69% Located in less than 1.00 km from N.H. Located in commercial place Near low lying area Located in Industrial area Free from all above Diagrammatic representation of surrounding in state as follows :-

(ii) Affect of pollution:  The aspect of pollution due to different elements are conducted during survey.  A few schools are found near Industrial & Commercial areas.  There is possibility of water, air and noise pollution in these schools.  Assam’s’ weather being humid, less possibility of dust pollution.  Certain districts of Assam get dust pollution during the month of January, February & March. AssamWater PollutionAir PollutionNoise PollutionDust PollutionFree from all the four Total = The details of schools with pollution of Water, Air, Dust, Noise etc. are shown in the table [in %] Diagrammatic representation of school affected by pollution in state :-

(i)Type of construction:  Assam falls on high intensity seismic Zone-V, so all ACRs & NSB are constructed with light weight materials for roof & ceiling.  In case of congested area, RCC structures are also provided.  RCC & Assam type structures are designed as per Codal provision of National Building Code (NBC) and Indian Standard Code IS The classrooms are made energy efficient and environment friendly.  In assessed schools, there are classrooms of different types which is given below. (B) SCHOOL CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT :  Under ground water source is provided for drinking water purpose.  Pollution of water is measured based on physical parameters at sites such as colour, odour, turbidity and taste.  Chemical analysis for a few nos. of school conducted for PH value, alkalinity, total solids, dissolved solids, hardness, fluoride, iron content etc. through WATSAN cell by engaging consultant.  Noise pollution based on physical observations of sound created due to heavy movement of vehicle, train, running industry etc.  Air pollution measured on physical observations of industries like refinery, cement factory, coal mine, brick kiln, etc.

AssamAssam Type structure RCC structure Combined Assam Type and RCC Total nos. of Class Room Class room constructed in planned manner Un-planned classroom construction Total = Percentage96.00%1%3 %-74.85% 25.15% school campus with respect to type of construction state as follows: Classroom Construction Total Classrooms : 46,902 Constructed in planned manner : 35,108 Haphazard construction : 11,794 Table showing the different types of construction of assessed school

 As per site condition, common toilets and girl’s toilet are provided with provision of leach pit, septic tank & soak pit for the disposal of waste water from toilet & urinal.  Barrier-free facility for CWSN is provided.  Out of schools schools depend on ground water. (ii) Toilet & Drinking water facility: Assam Toilet available Toilet not available Drinking water available Drinking water not available Total = Percentage 73.29%26.71%86.72%13.28% Diagrammatic representation of toilet available & not available in state

Diagrammatic representation of drinking water available & drinking water not available in State (iii) Cook shed for MDM :  Out of assessed schools cook sheds are available in schools  Water is available for cooking mid-day meal in the kitchen shed.  Sufficient space is available for serving cooked mid-day meal etc. in school campus  kitchen sheds are away from main building.

AssamCook Shed availableCook Shed not available Total = Percentage 66.93%33.07% Cook shed available and cook shed not available in state as follows Electricity (IV) Electricity  Out of nos. school 1322 nos. have proper electrical facilities.  In rural area / hard to reach area the provision of electricity is not available.  Electrical connections are provided as per standard norms. AssamElectricity availableElectricity not available Total = Percentage8.04 %91.96 %

Electricity available & electricity not available in state (V) Open space for plantation & gardening etc:  Out of nos. of schools, nos. have open space for morning assembly.  Sufficient space available for movement of children during Tiffin period.  Proper drainage facility is in the campus during heavy shower.

AssamOpen space availableArea available for plantation, garden etc. Total =14,38011,061 Open space, plantation and gardening etc. of school in state as follows: (VI) Permanent boundary wall:  Out of 16,438 nos. schools boundary wall available in only 1447 nos. of schools.  In some schools partial boundary walls are available and in some school, temporary boundary wall like bamboo fencing etc. are available.

AssamBoundary Wall AvailableBoundary Wall Not Available Total = Percentage8.80 %91.20 % Diagrammatic representation of Permanent Boundary Wall of school in state (VII) Waste disposal (solid & liquid) :  Provisions are there for disposal of solid wastes in some schools.  Provision is made for burning of solid waste in the school campus.  The liquid waste is drained out through drainage facility/natural drains.

Additional Class Room (ACR) of Hailakandi district, Assam (VIII) Photographs of school campus:

Additional Classroom (ACR) Hailakandi district, Assam Chak Chaka Govt. MVS Barpeta district, Assam

1 No. Amulla Patty Nimna Buniadi School Rongagora Banua LPS Additional Classroom (ACR) Nagaon district, Assam Golaghat district, Assam

Kokira Gado LPS Baida Baghmara LPS Goalpara district, Assam Additional Classroom (ACR)

Deol Guri Saranarthi LPS Bok Do LPS Additional Classroom (ACR) Goalpara district, Assam

Thakurdoloni Kamalpur MES Sastri Memorial MES Girls’ Toilet Lakhimpur District

 Construction works are taken up in a planned manner.  Proper sitting space is available for the students.  For sitting inside the room there is a provision of desk and bench.  In-built shelves are provided to store or display TLM, etc.  Chalkboard with better visibility and better durability is provided..  BaLA items are available 8353 nos. schools, CFE items are available 7833 nos. schools, Provision for CWSN available for nos. school and TLM (C) Classroom environment : (i) Classroom with CFE, BaLA items, CWSN facility & TLM etc.

Assam TLM available CFE available BALA items available Provision for CWSN available Total =15,5657,8338,35312,082 Class Room with child friendly elements, BALA items, TLM etc. Diagrammatic representation of TLM, CFE, BaLA & CWSN of school in state

 All doors and windows open towards outside.  In most of the rooms no grills are provided in window for safe exit during natural calamities.  Ventilation arrangements are sufficient in all classrooms.  Floor conditions in most of the schools are good.  No health hazard materials are used during construction of nos. classroom.  Provision of sufficient passage for free movement of children is kept while designing the classroom (ii) Safety measure in classroom:

 The basic right of child is to grow in a healthy environment.  A good environment is a healthy environment.  Healthy environment promotes and protect the human life.  The school creates better learning environment and enhances retention. It reduces absenteeism among school children particularly the girl children. 4. Post Project Monitoring:  List of measure: Description and how they can be done.  Roles, responsibilities of Authorities for the project.  How community, stakeholders’ be involved.  Involvement of TT Component, CM through workshop-training etc. 5. Benefits / Impact of Environment Assessment:  Identification of hazardous areas.  Stress can be given to such identified areas for remedial measures.  Future planning based on the requirement.  Development of school plan based on the environment assessment.  No horn sign board, speed breaker can be installed based on assessment. 6. Concluding Remarks:

Lakhisar Govt. Jr. Basic School, Hailakndi (iii) Inside photo of classroom : Koya Pub Line LPS, Hailakandi

BaLA : Santipur MES, Tinsukia Height Measuring Scale Solar System BaLA : Sadiya Girls MES, Tinsukia

Ramlal Hindi LPS, Tinsukia 2 No Chapa Khoa Town LPS, Tinsukia Inside Classroom