‘27 schools in Hisar operating from unsafe buildings': Haryana rights panel seeks report within 8 weeks

Indian Express

11 hours ago

Taking suo motu cognisance of reportedly alarming conditions at government schools in Hisar, the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has directed authorities in the district to submit a comprehensive report on each building within eight weeks.
Taking note of media reports published last week, the HHRC found that 'buildings or major portions of 27 government schools have been declared 'unsafe' by the Public Works Department (PWD), yet classes continue to be conducted in them'.
In the order which was made public on Tuesday, the full bench of the Commission, comprising Chairperson Justice Lalit Batra and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia, observed that 'this is not a matter of mere inconvenience but a direct endangerment to the lives and safety of school children'. It has set October 30 as the next date of hearing in the case.
The Commission noted that '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'.
At the 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,' it said, adding, 'In Dobhi village, all 24 classrooms are condemned, forcing students into cramped libraries, laboratories, and staff rooms. 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'.
Dr Puneet Arora, Protocol, Information and Public Relations Officer, said the Commission has directed 'the Principal Secretary, School Education Department; Director General, Secondary Education; Deputy Commissioner, Hisar; Additional Deputy Commissioner, Hisar; and District Education Officer, Hisar to submit a comprehensive report within eight weeks' on the matter.
The report, he said, should cover 'the current status of each condemned building; safety measures in place; alternative arrangements made; timeline and budget for reconstruction; number of affected students and any injury/illness data; and reasons for delay in reconstruction/relocation.'
Citing key examples of the damaged buildings, the HHRC bench stated that in Dhansu village, the entire school building has been condemned, while the figures for the schools in other villages were: Dobhi (24 rooms), Mangali (22), Rajli (16), Dhani Mohabatpur (12), Sisar Kharbala (11), Bass (10), Arya Nagar (10), and Siswala (8).
The Commission noted that such conditions violate Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) and Article 21A (Right to Education) of the Constitution of India, 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. It warned that immediate action is needed to prevent such tragedies in Haryana.