Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 16: High Court has directed the School Education Department to take final decision with regard to lessen heavy load of school bags by the children.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Sanjeev Kumar while hearing the contempt petition seeking implementation of basic judgment on the issue directed the Secretary School Education Department to ensure that a final view is taken and duly implemented.
DB directed him to place before the Court the decision by filing a status report positively within a period of six weeks from today.
The contempt petition was filed for seeking implementation of basic direction passed on May 2016, directing the authorities to consider the representation of the petitioner and take a decision with regard to heavy load of School bags by the children.
The record of the case shows that an order on December 2017 was passed by the Government noting therein a Constitution of Expert Committee by the Government vide Government Order No. 588-Edu of 2017 dated 28.08.2017 to make recommendation with regard to the heavy load of School bags containing books of school going children.
The statement was made at the bar by the state counsel that the Expert Committee is under active consideration before the Minister concerned as well as Secretary of the Government, School Education Department, J&K State.
Court with this submission made by the state counsel had left it to the wise decision of the State Government to address the issue before February, 2018 with the noting that the authorities will follow and study the best practices of other States of the Country so as to address the issue in this behalf.
But on failure of the authorities to address the issue compelled the petitioner to approach the court again to sought out the issue as the liberty has been granted to him that in case the respondents fail to take a decision within the aforementioned period, he shall seek revival of the contempt petition.
It is in terms of Court direction the Government was supposed to frame a policy on the issue within three months and despite the lapse of time granted there is no policy decision from the Government.
It may be mentioned here that the report of the four member committee headed by Chairman BOSE was submitted to Government last year for implementation but is still awaited for its implementation.
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