Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 23: The High Court has sought a status report from the Government with regard to lack of infrastructure in educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.
Hearing the PIL concerned with the lack of infrastructure in Schools in Jammu and Kashmir, the Court granted two weeks’ time as prayed for by the Government counsel 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.
The Court on request of the Government counsel granted two weeks for filing the report. It was earlier directed that failure to comply with the directions of court the Secretary to Government, Education Department will personally appeal along with complete record.
The Secretary to the Government, School Education Department in compliance only made reference to dispensation of funds for “100% saturation of toilets in all schools” by or before 31st March, 2019. Additionally, the Court was also 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.
“Education Department is contemplating to achieve construction of boundary walls in all schools over a period of five years subject to resources”, Court was further informed at the end, the Secretary has stated that action is being taken for providing other infrastructural facilities in schools such as furniture and computers etc in a time bound manner.
The DB said the narration as made by the Secretary Education 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. Court was also not given an audit of the deficiencies in the infrastructure. “There is no reference to books and school uniforms, as to whether J&K has any provision for providing the same to students”, the Court had said.
The Court added that Right to Education is a fundamental right of every child and deficiencies in the school infrastructure cannot be tolerated and it is evident from the status report which has been filed that the Education Department is not concerned about even assessing deficiencies let alone proceeding to supply the same in any planned manner.
Additional Advocate General stated that he has already received the necessary instructions and wants to bring on record the fresh status report. “He seeks and is allowed two weeks’ time to file a status report in terms of order dated 09.09.2021″, the DB directed.
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