Meerut: Every day, the 100 students enrolled in the government-run primary school in Kaseru Khera have to cross the road and walk up to a school opposite to theirs to answer nature’s call. For years, the school has been running without a toilet as the space marked for it has allegedly been occupied by local residents, who have set up a temple within the premises. Further, a classroom meant for students is being used as a residential quarter by the temple’s priest.However, things are set to change as the outgoing divisional commissioner, Prabhat Kumar, has instructed the concerned officials to remove the encroachment so that a toilet can be constructed here. “A toilet must be constructed in the school for students and it should be checked how a priest is living in the school premises without permission,” read the letter issued by Prabhat Kumar to the chief development officer.Local residents say that there was a peepal tree inside the premises which was considered auspicious. Slowly, people started worshiping the tree and offering flowers and eventually a temple was set up here. One of the classrooms was renovated and given to the priest for staying. TOI had reported the matter in 2015, but no action was taken.President of NGO SIA (Swabhiman Indian Association) foundation, Krishna Dhaka, said, “It is sad that so many students don’t even have a decent place to urinate. Toilet is a basic necessity. How can you have high student enrollment in the absence of basic amenities? Now that official instructions have been issued, there is a ray of hope for students.”

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