New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of an incident in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district, where three students were injured after a portion of the ceiling plaster of their classroom collapsed in a dilapidated government primary school building.
According to a media report, the incident took place on October 6 at a government primary school in Narda village under the Bhinder Police Station area, when a portion of the classroom ceiling plaster suddenly fell on the children.
The injured students, aged 7 to 8 years, reportedly sustained head injuries. The incident occurred at around 11 a.m. when 32 children were present in the classroom.
Teachers were reportedly not present at the school at the time of the incident, and the injured students walked home on their own before their family members took them to a hospital for treatment.
The NHRC has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, the apex human rights body has issued a notice to the Udaipur District Magistrate, calling for a detailed report within two weeks.
The report is expected to include the health status of the injured students.
As per the media report, the three students who sustained head injuries were taken to Bhinder Government Hospital for treatment and were subsequently discharged.
The incident triggered panic among students and staff, as the ceiling plaster fell with a loud noise.
Following the incident, the school building was locked on the instructions of the Education Department and the local administration, while arrangements were made to conduct classes at an alternative location near a local shrine.
The school’s headmaster, Lalsingh Shaktawat, said the institution caters to students up to Class 5 and has an enrolment of 37 children.
He also stated that the school authorities had previously informed the Education Department about the dilapidated condition of the building.
The school building was constructed in 2001 and reportedly has two rooms and a veranda, all in poor condition.
Villagers alleged that repeated complaints regarding the deteriorating structure had been submitted to the authorities, but no effective action had been taken.
The incident has raised concerns over the safety of children studying in government schools in Rajasthan operating from ageing and poorly maintained buildings.
(IANS)
