ASAP Kerala toilet refurbication project in Alapuzha utilizes various plumbing skills

The Additional Skills Acquisition Programme a prestigious project of the department of Higher Education and the General Education has trained more than one lakh student’s in different skill sets since 2012. Plumbing has been one of the prominent sectors in ASAP and has trainer over 2500 students over the past few years. In specific to Alapuzha more than 200 students have been trainer over the past few years.

ASAP has initiated a plumbers club across the state. In specific to Alapuzha more than fifty students registered to be a part of the club. As a part of expanding the plumbers club to the next level and also to address the health and hygiene issues in educational institutions. ASAP proposed a health and hygiene project. The project intends to repair and maintain the existing toilets in our education institutions. This would address the health issues while using rest rooms and also to use the same with hygiene. The programme is named “The Toilet Refurbication project”

A proposal was submitted to the Zilla Panchayat Higher education standing Committee explaining the operations of the project. As a new initiative the committee extended their whole hearted support to proposal and has agreed to meet the expenditure of the work. As a part of initiating the project in the district, ASAP decided to start off the project from one of its skill centre’s in the district:GHSS, Kidangara.

Implementation of the project is to be done with the support of the students enrolled into the ASAP Plumbers Club. The club members are a group of students who have successfully undergone skill training in “Assistant Plumber” course. The club members will working under the supervision and guidance of ASAP Skill Trainer for plumbing.

On the day an orientation session was given to the members of the plumbers club. During the meeting the concept regarding the project was explained to the club members. After the meeting the club members along with the skill trainer identified the plumbing works required at GHSS Kidangara. They also prepared an estimate for the works to be done in the toilets at SDC kidangara. The estimate was submitted to Jilla Panchayat Committee through ASAP.

.The submitted estimate was approved by the Jilla Panchayat and the same was forwarded to Assistant Engineer of Veliyanad Grama Panchayath for approval. Assistant Engineer visited the institution on 2nd of November 2017 and approved the estimate after verification.

Estimated Cost of Repair submitted to Jilla Panchayath:

The Project commenced on 4^th November 2017.

Following are the work done by students at GHSS Kidangara;

• Repairing a toilet which was damaged and was not usable
• Replacing broken pipes at Girls Toilet and rectifying leakage
• Rectifying leakage and fitting an additional pipe at common wash area
• Changing taps in Boys Urinal Block
• Adding pipe to water tank for release of air
• Repairing a toilet which was damaged and was not usable

The institutional fraternity was extremely happy with the work done by the students. The Principal of the institution visited the location and expressed her happiness and satisfaction in the work done by members and also requested the team to take up more locations for repair.

As part of expansion to the project the club members has proposed to repair 5 more toilets in education institutions within the district.