Sonepat school gate collapse: Haryana rights panel seeks reports on structural safety, inspections

The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the death of an 11-year-old Class 6 student, Yash Kumar, after the brick-and-concrete arch of the main entrance gate of Government Primary School, Garhi Bilinda, in Sonepat district, allegedly collapsed on him on August 6.

The Commission has sought detailed reports from state education authorities on the condition and structural safety of the school before the incident, inspections conducted during the preceding three years, complaints or representations received regarding structural deficiencies, and the action taken on them.

The Commission has also sought details of any repair, renovation, strengthening or reconstruction work sanctioned or proposed for the school; the responsibility of officials for inspection and maintenance; the inquiry ordered after the incident; and whether responsibility has been fixed for any lapse.

The Commission has further directed the Sonepat district administration to provide a complete factual report regarding the incident and the circumstances leading to the collapse of the school gate/arch, as well as the status of the inquiry ordered into the incident and the action taken pursuant thereto.

The Commission has also asked the Sonepat police authorities to provide information on the police investigation, including whether an FIR has been registered, the provisions of law invoked, the findings of the forensic examination and post-mortem, and whether negligence or culpability has emerged.

Significantly, the Commission has asked the authorities to identify whether other government schools in Sonepat district have unsafe or structurally deficient entrance gates, arches, boundary walls, roofs or other structures, and to specify the remedial action taken.

The Commission has stressed the need for a comprehensive safety audit of government schools, particularly old and structurally weak buildings and other structures that could pose a danger to children. It said unsafe structures should be immediately secured against access and repaired, strengthened or demolished within a definite time frame.

The Commission has also sought clarification on whether the recommendations and preventive measures arising from its earlier proceedings concerning dilapidated and unsafe government school buildings were actually implemented.

The Commission observed that the incident raises a prima facie human rights concern and said the death of a child allegedly resulting from the collapse of an unsafe school structure cannot be treated merely as an unfortunate accident if it is attributable to a failure of inspection, maintenance, repair or preventive measures.