Faridabad: Children attend classes in 'unsafe' government school building

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, February 14

The Government Senior Secondary School in Indira Nagar here has been operational in unhealthy and unsafe conditions. The building is in poor state and is congested. This school is among eight government schools in the district which have been included in the list of buildings which needs to be rebuilt or shifted.

“The school building which is in a dilapidated condition has a sewage drain running beneath it and a high-voltage power lines running overhead “, it has been revealed in a reply to an RTI query lodged by Kailash Sharma, an office-bearer of the Abhibhawak Ekta Manch (AEM), a parents body. Though the RTI reply was provided last year, it is revealed that the school premises is still functional on a plot having a size of 1226.6 sq yards (23x 480 sq feet) which is very small in comparison to the norms set by the government for a senior secondary school.

Claiming that the school has only 12 rooms for a total of 565 students. The rooms are in a poor condition, making it unsafe for students.The plaster of the walls has also peeled off. Adding that it was perhaps the only school in the district which was situated on a land which had a drain passing underneath, sources in the department concerned said this was among two schools in the district, which had been ordered to be shifted elsewhere, but not done so far.

During the hearing of a petition lodged by the AEM, eight schools of the district had been included in the dilapidated building list out of the total of 55 across the state. These include the government schools of Indira Nagar, Press Colony, NIT- 1, Tikona Park, Sector 9, Badoli village and two schools in Old Faridabad. “While the construction of new buildings of six government schools in Anangpur, Mohna, Chhainsa, Faridpur, Dayalpur and Tigaon have either been completed or nearing completion. The work on the construction or replacement of buildings of other schools is in process”, an official of the Education Department said.

Only 12 rooms for 565 students

• The school has only 12 rooms for a total of 565 students. The rooms are in a poor condition, making it unsafe for students
• The plaster of the walls has also peeled off. It was perhaps the only school in the district which was situated on a land which had a drain passing underneath it
• Sources in the department concerned said this was among two schools in the district, which was ordered to be shifted, but was not done

Construction of 6 schools complete or near completion

The construction of new buildings of six government schools in Anangpur, Mohna, Chhainsa, Faridpur, Dayalpur and Tigaon have either been completed or nearing completion. The work on the construction or replacement of buildings of other schools is in process. An official of the Education Department