Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 18: High Court has sought status of infrastructure in the schools in J&K and Ladakh as the report filed does not indicate clearly whether the projects on the education sector have been completed or not.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Javed Iqbal Wani on a Public Interest Litigation sought updated status report as well as connected one relates to the Status/upgradation of the Government schools in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The DB said the fresh status report was filed by authority concerned but in respect of various infrastructure projects mentioned therein, it is not clear whether those projects have been completed. “In view of the above, it is necessary that the authority may file yet another report as to the status of all the projects”, DB directed.
Concerned with the lack of infrastructure in schools in both the UTs, Court had granted four weeks’ time as prayed for to the Additional Advocate General to file status report with regard to status of infrastructure in the schools, including Primary and Upper Primary Schools, which are situated in Rural and Urban Areas and that was not done.
On request, time was extended four times thereafter and on the last date, it was directed that failure to comply with the orders of court, the personal appearance of the Secretary to Government, Education Department along with complete record would be invited by the court.
The report of Secretary to the Government, School Education Department, wherein reference is made to only dispensation of funds for 100% saturation of toilets in all schools. Additionally court was informed that the funds are also being arranged and required directions are being issued for provision of drinking water and electricity supply by May, 2019.
The Secretary had stated that action is being taken for providing other infrastructural facilities in schools such as furniture and computers in a time bound manner. The narration, court said, would show that in six months, the respondents are not able to inform this court with regard to time lines within which the infrastructure in schools would be arranged for let alone provided.
“We are not even given an audit of the deficiencies in the infrastructure. There is no reference to books and school uniforms, as to whether the State has any provision for providing the same to students”, reads the order.
Observing that Right to Education is a fundamental right of every child and deficiencies in the school infrastructure cannot be tolerated. Court said, it is evident from the status report which has been filed that the Education Department is not concerned about even assessing deficiencies let along proceeding to supply the same in any planed manner.
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