Fazilka school NOC revoked over encroachment charge
Praful Chander Nagpal
Fazilka, January 7
The Education Department has withdrawn the NOC issued almost 19 years ago to Mata Gujri Public School of Chak Suhelewala village on the allegation of encroachment on panchayat land by the school management. The NOC was issued on March 31, 2005.
The Under Secretary of the Education Department in a letter dated January 4 stated that the school had allegedly encroached upon the panchayat land and rusticated those students whose parents had brought up the issue of land ncroachment to the notice of the department concerned.
The letter stated that the orders had been issued after conducting an enquiry. The Deputy Commissioner, Fazilka, has also been asked to take necessary action against the school in this regard.
After withdrawing the NOC, there is uncertainty over the future of about 2,500 students. The Education Department has directed District Education Officer (Secondary) Fazilka, to apprise the parents of the students regarding revoking of the NOC so that they may admit the students in some other school from the next academic session.
The school is situated in the native village of former SAD MP late Zora Singh Mann. According to Principal Parvinder Jeet Kaur, SAD leader Vardev Singh Noni Mann, (who unsuccessfully contested assembly elections from Guru Har Sahai assembly constituency on SAD ticket twice), is the manager of the school.
Meanwhile, the management has been terming the cancellation of the NOC as political motivated. Principal Parvinder Jeet Kaur said that how an NOC issued about two decades ago could be cancelled without taking into consideration the future of 2,500 students. She claimed that school was being run as per guidelines of the government.
