HC asks TS to file report on facilities in govt schools

HYDERABAD: Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice S Nanda ,on Friday, directed the Telangana State Government to file a status report on the basic infrastructure and facilities in the state government schools after B.Abhiram, a law student from Hyderabad, filed a Public Interest Litigation based on a newspaper article.

On June 13, the Deccan Chronicle newspaper reported that State Government schools in interiors and tribal areas of Komarram Bheem Asifabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Siddipet, Rajanna Sircilla, Mancherial,Nizambad and Jangoan were lacking basic facilities. It read that, a school in Janduguda hamlet of Tiryani Mandal of Asifabad District was running in a hut since 10 years. The hut belonged to a cook, Jekam Pochubai, who offered it to the school. A primary school in Ponnaram of Mandamarri Mandal in Mancherial district did not have proper facilities and was used as a cattle shed and 26 students of different classes were forced to attend classes in a single room due to non-availability of a proper building. Classrooms at a school in Joorpur in Nandipet Mandal of Nizamabad district were on the verge of collapsing, the report said.

Other issues of girl students being forced to use unhygienic toilets was also pointed out. The counsel for Petitioner T. Swetcha said that the Right to Education Act casts duty on the Government and local authorities to provide basic infrastructure facilities like school buildings, suitable classrooms, hygienic washrooms, drinking water and other facilities.Not providing the same also amounted to violation of human rights, she said.

The government pleader on the other hand stated that similar matter had already been decided in Supreme Court and guidelines were issued to all states and union territories in 2012. The panel pointed out that the issues regarding government schools and basic infrastructure is of utmost public importance. It said as the guidelines were issued a decade ago, the court was willing to know the present status. Accordingly it directed the state government to submit a report by September 23.