Bandaru alleged that the state government is demonstrating a complete "lack of sensitivity towards problems of the students from the poorer sections".
BJP National Vice-President Bandaru Dattatreyya on Sunday demanded that the state government take immediate steps to provide proper toilet facilities in government schools.
In his 76th "Open Letter" to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Dattatreyya said that Andhra Pradesh, which was considered to be the best state, in now on par with Bihar in relation to providing water, and sanitation to school.
Of 76,000 government schools in the state, nearly 47,000 do not have toilets or drinking water, he said.
"As per the website of the state government-run project Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA), 53,801 primary, upper primary and higher secondary schools do not have toilet facility for girls. As many as 35,236 schools do not have toilet facilities for anybody. There is no drinking water facility in majority of schools," the BJP leader said.
Bandaru added, "The Supreme Court had directed the states to provide water and sanitation facility in all schools by the end of November 2011, and had ordered that all governments take immediate steps in this regard, and file their compliance report before the deadline fixed by it. But AP is far from putting into force, the Supreme Court's directive."
"In reality, the structures that are being called as toilets, are not usable because of the lack of maintenance, and in some cases, water. Students shudder to enter these places, but they have no option," he said.
"According to a UNICEF-backed survey conducted by NGO Pratham in 2010-11, the situation is very dismal in Andhra Pradesh. About 42.6% of the government schools only have toilets, moreover most of them are unusable," he stated.
Bandaru alleged that the state government is demonstrating a complete "lack of sensitivity towards the problems of the students from the poorer sections".
Reportedly in the building plans of many schools, no provision has been made for toilets.
"It is a matter of laughter that where your government is claiming that the welfare of the girl child is being taken care of, by announcing schemes such as the 'Bangaru Thalli', for the overall development, which is your pet scheme. Is it possible for any individual to enhance his/herself without education? There are numerous girls dropping out of schools due to non-availability of toilets and water," he said.
The BJP leader also said that Rs. 5,000 that is being given to each government school (per annum for) to each worker, for sanitation and cleaning, is insufficient.
"For a month, a worker gets Rs. 417, an amount for which nobody is willing to work. Due to insufficient funds, the headmasters of the schools are refunding the amount sanctioned by the government," he said.
Dattatreyya demanded that the CM stop "bickering about unnecessary, futile political exercises" such as opposing the bifurcation of state.
"It is the only political agenda and livelihood for you not bothering about the administration and leaving it to its own fate without realising that this exercise will seal your fate," he said. (INN)