The Supreme Court asked states to explain by October 15 steps taken for ensuring potable water and toilet facilities in government-run schools. The bench of justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma said that these are very essential things which state authorities cannot neglect. They have to be taken up on priority otherwise parents will not like to send their children to schools.

Though most of the states have filed their affidavits on the steps being taken to provide the requisite facilities, the bench was not convinced with the same and accordingly directed chief secretaries of the states to file additional affidavits to comply with its directions.

The apex court passed the direction while dealing with a PIL filed in 2004 by Environment and Consumer Protection Foundation highlighting the plight of government-run schools in Delhi and lack of basic facilities such as drinking water, toilets and dilapidated condition of some school buildings.

The court sought comprehensive information regarding basic facilities like drinking water, separate toilets for boys and girls, power supply, boundary walls, mid-day meal facility besides teaching infrastructure.