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Punjab: Talwara residents protest BBMB proposal to hand over DAV Public School mgmt to private bidders
The protesters, under the banner of a Joint Action Committee (JAC), took out a march from the school premises to the office of the BBMB chief engineer, where they held a rally opposing the proposed change in management
Hundreds of locals, including school staff, students, parents, alumni and members of social organisations, staged a protest at Talwara on Saturday against the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) proposal to hand over the management of DAV Public School to private bidders. BBMB has been running the school in collaboration with the DAV College Managing Committee (DAVCMC), New Delhi, for the last 40 years.
The protesters, under the banner of a Joint Action Committee (JAC), took out a march from the school premises to the office of the BBMB chief engineer, where they held a rally opposing the proposed change in management.
On reasons for the change of hands, BBMB chief engineer Rakesh Gupta said that until now, the school was being run through the DAV organisation, which was costing the board over ₹5 crore annually, and this expense was constantly increasing.
JAC convener Rohit Dadwal, however, alleged that the proposed move was intended to benefit a particular outfit, which was running another educational institution in the area and was facing the threat of closure. Parents have filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana high court in this regard, one of the protesters revealed. JAC members further said that on December 18, DAVCMC wrote to the BBMB secretary, expressing willingness to continue running the school without seeking any financial assistance from the board.
The BBMB chief engineer, however, said the institution to run the school was being selected in accordance with the board’s directives and through a transparent process established in accordance with law. He said that BBMB is a multi-state body with Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and other states as partners, and all decisions are taken at the board-level with the consent of member states.
