Widening its proceedings into the death of an 11-year-old student after the arch of the entrance gate of a government primary school in Sonipat collapsed, the Haryana Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the issue, asking for a structural safety audit of all state-run schools. As reported by PTI, in an order dated October 1, the Commission directed a safety review of all publicly owned buildings in the state. It said that dilapidated, unsafe and hazardous buildings be flagged and time-bound action be taken against them. The Commission, comprising Justice Lalit Batra and members Kuldeep Jain and Deep Bhatia, noted that considering the grave concerns stemming from the recent incident, keeping the proceedings restricted to just one school, Garhi Bilanda in Ganaur in Sonipat district, would not be enough. "The commission, having regard to the serious concerns arising out of the present incident, considers it appropriate to enlarge the scope of the present proceedings so as to examine the safety and structural conditions of Government schools across the State of Haryana," according to the order. The teenager was killed after a brick-concrete arch of the main gate of the school collapsed on him in Garhi Bilinda village in August. The HHRC has instructed the state’s director general of secondary education, director of elementary education, and the state project director of Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad (HSSPP) to conduct a detailed review of the structural safety of all government schools operating across the state. During inspection, schools or portions in dilapidated, unsafe or otherwise hazardous conditions shall be identified and reported. Not just buildings, but entrance gates, arches, boundary walls, roofs and other structures that may potentially threaten students’ or staff safety shall be flagged. The Commission stated that a mere review of school buildings and submission of reports would not be sufficient and that effective remedial measures, such as repair, maintenance, barricading, demolition or reconstruction, must be undertaken for run-down structures. Deepali Samaniya has been covering education for the past 2 years with a passion for SEO and a knack for crafting engaging stories. She specialises in... View More