The Morabadi cradle sports a cleaner look on Thursday, but it remains to be seen if it stays so. (Hardeep Singh)

Stinking garbage and cow dung will no longer greet children at Rajkiyakrit Madhya Vidyalaya in Morabadi and Nav Prathmik Vidyalaya in Harmu’s Anand Nagar area as the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Friday cleared the mess.

The The Telegraph on Thursday had featured the filthy state of affairs at the two schools in its report “Schools in stinking mess”.

The civic guardians took swift action with a clean-up drive. A little before noon, the garbage was cleared from the venues, in the posh location of the state capital.

“Strict instructions have been given to A2Z to ensure garbage doesn’t pile up again. Initially, we sanitised the two schools but in due course of time, we will keep on identifying similar schools for clean-up drives,” said RMC PRO Naresh Sinha.

Sinha himself had called up The Telegraph in the morning to know the exact locations of these schools.

Later, area councillor Butter Deol got in touch with The Telegraph, saying directives had been given to properly cover the drain in front of Rajkiyakrit Madhya Vidyalaya and construct the pathway. “You should have told me before. I would have got it cleared,” he told the correspondent.

Accidents are also waiting to happen in front of the Morabadi cradle, where balancing skills of students are put to test as they hobble over a broken cement slab that covers a drain in front of the gate.

It was learnt that directives came after top officials at the RMC as well as Raj Bhavan took strong exception to the pathetic plight of students. However, no official confirmation was made by Raj Bhavan.

Naresh, however, said students would not face such problems in future. “Children have the right to access a clean and safe ambience in and around schools,” he said.