Ludhiana Improvement Trust takes possession of school land amid staff resistance

The officials stated that the school’s allotment was cancelled as the government had found a number of discrepancies in its functioning, including its failure to pay around ₹80 lakh as dues and the use of a major portion of the site into a residential area.

High drama was witnessed at Kitchlu Nagar on Monday as the Ludhiana Improvement Trust took possession of 6,100 yards allotted to Holy Christ School, citing irregularities.

Police personnel removing the staff from Holy Christ School before LIT sealed the property. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

The officials stated that the school’s allotment was cancelled as the government had found a number of discrepancies in its functioning, including its failure to pay around ₹80 lakh as dues and the use of a major portion of the site into a residential area.

The school’s authorities, however, claimed that the possession was cancelled due to some vested interests. On Monday when the LIT officials reached the spot to take possession of the land, the school’s management and teachers tried to lock themselves up inside the rooms to stop the staff from sealing the campus.

A police team from PAU police station, led by station house officer Jaskanwal Singh Sekhon, had to use force to pull the staff members out of the premises before sealing the property. The LIT has given the management 10 days to clear the residential portion of the site to avoid further action.

LIT chairman Raman Balasubramaniam said, “We had received a complaint earlier about the misuse of the land allotted for running the school. During inspection last year, it was found that the school was not being run at the allotted site. Further, we found that the management had also failed to clear the dues following which the matter was taken up with the government through a resolution approved by the LIT. The government then cancelled the allotment in view of the discrepancies.”

Meanwhile, the school management claimed that over 200 students study in the school and by sealing the campus, the LIT was pushing their future into the dark.

Allottee Narinder Kumar and principal Rohan Sharma said they had all necessary documents but the LIT had been stopping them from paying the dues. They added that the building plan was also approved by the LIT. Sharma said, “The action was taken due to some vested interests even when a case regarding the same is sub-judice in the court. Over 200 students study in the school and after this action, their future is in the dark.”