Lives at risk in 60 unsafe Jhajjar govt schools
Incidents of roof collapse have been reported from three schools in July and August
Jhajjar :
Buildings of 60 government schools in the district were declared unsafe around three months ago. Neither were the schools provided new buildings nor were these unsafe structures demolished.
Incidents of roof collapse had been reported from three schools during this period. Sources said 14 rooms of the Government Senior Secondary School in Kheri Khummar village were declared unsafe over four years ago, but no further action taken in this respect.
“Thirteen rooms were locked after being declared unsafe in 2013. An unsafe room is being used by a Class IV employee at his own risk. These rooms pose a threat to students playing around. Teachers use the way adjacent to the rooms,” said a teacher on the condition of anonymity.
He said the school had 102 students and required at least 20 rooms, but classes were being conducted in a mere four rooms.
Sources said 18 schools each in Jhajjar and Beri, 11 in Bahadurgarh, seven in Matanhel and six in Salhavaas block of the district had been declared as unsafe.
Portions of the roofs of schools in Beri, Aachej Pahadipur and Main Bazaar in Bahadurgarh had collapsed in July and August. The incidents had occurred after school timings.
District Elementary Education Officer Surender Chauhan said the PWD Executive Engineer (XEN) had declared the school building unsafe after conducting an inspection.
“The XEN does not generally take quick action on the request of physical inspection, resulting in delay in demolition of unsafe buildings. Auction for demolition was organised twice, but none took the contract due to high base price,” said Chauhan. He said no building in the district had been demolished this session.
He stated that classes were not being conducted in any unsafe building and alternative arrangements had been made in nearby schools, dharamshalas or community centres.
XEN Virender Malik said only those requests for physical inspection of buildings remained pending which were directly sent by the school heads.
He said the District Education Officer (DEO) was the competent authority to make such a request. “We try to conduct inspection of the building within 15 days of getting a request from the DEO,” he added.
Does Government rebuilt these schools?
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