E-Paper
File safety audit report of schools: HC tells U.P.
The order was passed on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by the Gomati River Bank Residents
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has directed the state government to file the safety audit report of the schools of five districts of U.P, which were inspected after the order of the court.
The order was passed by a division bench of justice Alok Mathur and justice Brij Raj Singh recently on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by the Gomati River Bank Residents, raising the issue of safety in schools allegedly running in residential areas, flouting prescribed standards. The petitioner sought directives for proper arrangements of security in schools and to take appropriate action in this regard.
Earlier, the court had issued directions to the authorities concerned and sought a reply of compliance from the state. The state filed a compliance affidavit, a letter of June 25, 2024 by the chief secretary to the National Disaster Management Authority, New Delhi, has been annexed wherein the details with regard to the implementation of the guidelines as per the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Avinash Mehrotra have been forwarded.
The letter stated that for the quarter January 2024 to March 2024, out of 29,382 schools, 14,262 schools were inspected and a safety audit was conducted. Similarly, the inspection was carried out with regard to the structural safety and non-structural safety.
“In light of the above, with a view to verify and satisfy ourselves with regard to the said inspection, the respondents are directed to furnish complete report with regard to the inspections of schools having been done for the quarter January 2024 to March 2024 with regard to the districts Barabanki, Faizabad, Sitapur, Jhansi and Shamli. For these districts the report may be submitted along with all other relevant documentation. If the record is voluminous, the same can be submitted to this Court in digital mode”, the court ordered.
Traffic at school times: HC permits AAG to look into issue
Taking cognizance of a news report published in the Hindustan Times regarding the traffic situation after the reopening of schools after summer vacations in Lucknow, the court permitted the state’s additional advocate general (AAG) Kuldeep Pati Tripathi to look into it and discuss it with senior state authorities responsible for the traffic management. The court will take up the matter on August 23.
At the time of hearing the PIL, Abhinav Bhattacharya, the amicus curiae for the petitioner, informed the court about news reports appearing in newspapers, including Hindustan Times, on July 9, 2023. It had been reported that when schools had reopened after summer vacation, the traffic situation went from bad to worse, and there were huge traffic snarls on all the roads leading to the schools. In this regard, he informed the court that a number of vehicles had been seized and a number of challans had been issued.
