Haryana rights panel takes cognizance of dilapidated govt schools

Chandigarh, Aug 12 (IANS) The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the alarming condition of government schools in Hisar district.

As per a media report of August 7, though buildings or major portions of 27 government schools have been declared “unsafe” by the Public Works Department (PWD), classes continue in them. Students are reportedly being taught in open verandahs, sealed rooms, laboratories and staff halls, often sitting on the floor.

The ongoing monsoon season has increased risks, including the danger of snake bites and other hazards, said the report.

According to the full Bench comprising Chairperson Justice Lalit Batra and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia, this is not a matter of mere inconvenience but a direct endangerment to the lives and safety of school children.

At Government Senior Secondary School in Mangali, for instance, 480 students are studying in an open verandah after 22 classrooms were sealed due to collapse risk. In Dobhi village, all 24 classrooms are in a bad state, forcing students into cramped libraries, laboratories and staff rooms.

Likewise, in Dhansu, Siswala, Arya Nagar, Rajli and other schools, children are being taught in unsafe sections of buildings where the risk of falling walls or ceilings is constant.

The Commission noted that such conditions violate Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) and Article 21-A (Right to Education) of the Constitution, as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantee children the right to safe and quality education.

The Bench referred to recent incidents in Rajasthan, including the death of a seven-year-old boy in Jaisalmer when a school gate collapsed, and the deaths of seven students in Jhalawar due to a school building collapse.

The Commission warned that immediate action is needed to prevent such tragedies in Haryana.

Protocol, Information and Public Relations Officer Puneet Arora on Tuesday said the Commission has directed the Principal Secretary (School Education Department), the Director General (Secondary Education), the Deputy Commissioner of Hisar, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Hisar and the District Education Officer of Hisar to submit a comprehensive report within eight weeks covering among other issues, the status of each condemned building, the safety measures in place and alternative arrangements.

The Commission listed the matter for the next hearing on October 30.

--IANS

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