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No roof in school, children forced to study under plastic sheets.
Rajinder Kumar, 30, and Kishori Dabi, 29 protested by standing in heavy rains to show how students of the school undergo the same ordeal on days that it rains. The school was demolished by PWD due to structural issues and it is located on disputed land and hence no progress has been made so far.
Two residents of Ismal Ganj area in Ludhiana used a novel way to protest and draw the government’s attention to the plight of Government Primary School, Kucha Number 16 at Field Ganj area. Rajinder Kumar, 30, and Kishori Dabi, 29 – braved heavy rains and stood on the Jagraon Bridge on Saturday to show how students of the school undergo the same ordeal on days that it rains. They even held placards showing pictures of children attending classes under a plastic sheet on a rainy day.
Students from the school also joined the duo by carrying placards and highlighting how they had to attend a school which had no roof, benches or washrooms. They hoped to draw the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Kucha 16 school building was demolished a long back after the PWD declared the structure unsafe for usage. Additionally, the school was located on a disputed piece of land and the case for the same is still pending in Punjab and Haryana high court. Hence, teachers are left with no options but to create make-shift shelter by fixing plastic sheets near the boundary walls of school.
Rajinder Kumar, one of the agitators, said, "I live nearby the school and I see those kids suffering every day. Be it summer, winter or monsoon — every day is a struggle for them. Their day starts with fixing the plastic sheet. Their plight cannot be ignored. The education department should make some temporary arrangements for them."
Kishori Dabi, 29, said Kumar’s fellow agitator said that even though the case of the land is languishing in the High Court since the past 20 years, it was surprising why there was no demand to fast track the court proceedings, considering that the future of so many children was at stake. Parents who could afford proper schools had long back packed off their wards. However, the children from underprivileged families who couldn’t afford fees of private schools were forced to attend this school without a roof.
The officials of education department pleaded helplessness as the matter regarding the land was subjudice.
District Education Officer (elementary) Gurjot Singh said, "Education department is helpless to do anything as the matter is in HC. The opponent party had won the case in local court however we managed to get stay orders on it from HC."
Read the original story by Payal Dhawani at www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com