Government Primary School, Jagraon, Ludhiana: Another deadline missed as home guards fail to vacate school rooms; locals, teachers to hold stir

The home guards have been using the three rooms at Government Primary Smart School, Basic, Jagraon, Ludhiana, as offices since 2018; last week, the submitted a written memorandum to the tehsildar concerned after the latter’s visit to the school

Despite giving a written assurance last week to vacate three government school rooms in Jagraon by November 11, the home guard volunteer force failed to do so.

Last week, home guards assured the tehsildar in writing that they would vacate the three rooms at Government Primary Smart School, Jagraon, by November 11. (HT File)

The home guards have been using the three rooms at Government Primary Smart School, Basic, Jagraon, as offices since 2018. Last week, the submitted a written memorandum to the tehsildar concerned after the latter’s visit to the school.

Home guards district commander Satya Prakash said, “We attempted to meet the deputy commissioner on Monday but he was unavailable due to the Vice-President’s planned visit. We have requested another meeting with him within a day or two. We have identified three alternative buildings for relocation and if the DC orders, we will shift immediately.”

On September 20, the deputy commissioner had ordered that the home guards vacate the three rooms within 15 days.

Now, the locals and teachers said they are planning a stir to get the rooms vacated.

Members of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), along with veteran education leaders and school staff, said they will hold a protest outside the school on Thursday [November 14] against the home guards for disregarding the DC’s orders.

“The students have been waiting for a long time. The home guards have even ignored the DC’s orders,” said Davinder Singh Sidhu, district vice-president of the DTF. “Members of DTF, other unions and veteran educators will hold a two-hour protest,” he added.

Union member Hardeep Singh said if the home guards do not vacate the premises after Thursday’s protest, they will escalate the demonstration.

Karamjeet Kaur, a teacher at the school, said the students are being hassled due to the space crunch arising from the home guards use of the rooms.

“Our school has around 375 students and with only six rooms available, we are forced to hold two classes in a single room, which affects the students’ learning,” she said. Earlier on November 4, local senior citizens and veteran educators had issued a one-week ‘deadline’ to the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) office to resolve the issue.

Jagraon tehsildar Surinder Singh visited the school on November 7 with education officials.