Child rights’ panel flags unsafe government school building in Chandigarh

Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights highlighted cracks in the building walls, seeks shifting students and immediate inspection

Taking suo-moto action on the information received about the damaged school building of Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), Khuda Alisher, Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR) wrote to the administration, listing a series of recommendations.

Child rights’ commission flagged ‘unsafe’ government school building in Chandigarh. (AP)

CCPCR chairperson Harjinder Kaur had called a meeting to discuss the issue on Sunday with fellow members. Issues related to cracks in the school building walls were discussed and the recommendations have been sent to the UT education secretary as well as other senior officers.

The recommendations in the letter included immediate shifting of students to a safe building to avoid any mishap, immediate inspection of the building by the UT’s engineering department, immediate identification of old unsafe/dead trees and removal of wild grass in the school premises. CCPCR has also sought immediate renovation of the building.

Speaking about the same, UT director, school education, (DSE) Harsuhinder Pal Singh Brar said the department had written to the authorities before, “I, as DSE, had visited the school before and inspected the old wing which was built in 1964. We had flagged the issue for a structural audit with the UT engineering department and the chief architect on July 5.”

“Classrooms which have cracks have been closed and planning for the worst-case scenario the department has initiated a plan to shift children to the new wing of the school in an orderly manner and the school will be converted into a double shift school. Some classes may also need to be shifted to nearby schools,” he added.

Brar further said the CCPCR had not discussed the matter with him, but was quick to add that their observations are taken seriously and if their directions pertained to closing down the school building, the department may do so.

Meanwhile, a team of the UT engineering department went to conduct a safety audit of the school on Monday. The team is expected to hand in their report in the coming days.