Ludhiana: Teachers, locals threaten stir as home guards yet to vacate school rooms

Home guards in Jagraon defy a DC order to vacate school rooms, prompting senior citizens to threaten protests for student space.

Almost a month and a half after the deputy commissioner issued an order directing the home guards volunteer force to vacate three rooms at a government school in Jagraon, the force is yet to comply.

Home guards have been using three rooms at Government Primary Smart School, Jagraon, as offices since 2018. (HT File)

The DC order on September 20 asked the force to vacate the three rooms at Government Primary Smart School, Basic, they have been using as office since 2018 within 15 days.

On Monday, the senior citizens forum and veteran educators issued a ‘one-week notice’ to the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Office, urging action on the orders. They threatened to launch a stir along with the teachers from the school if the volunteer force fails to comply.

School in-charge Karamjeet Kaur said, “Our school has around 375 students and with only six rooms available, we are forced to hold two classes in a single room. We were hopeful after the DC order, but nothing has changed. We have reached out to local MLAs and other officials as well, but to no avail.”

District education officer (DEO elementary) Ravinder Kaur said after the home guards did not comply to the order, they filed additional complaints. “We wrote to DC about the non-compliance,” she said.

Jagraon tehsildar Surinder Singh assured action. “I will issue a notice to the home guards office. If they do not vacate the rooms, we may have to take action,” he said. SDM Harsimran Singh, who has the additional charge for Jagraon, said he will look into the matter.

Members of the senior citizen forum that made efforts to ensure that the students get the rooms said they feel protest is the only option now.