HC seeks report on safety measures in schools of UP

Hearing a case related to the inspection of safety measures in schools in the state, the Allahabad high court’s Lucknow bench has ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a report on the developments in the implementation of the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court on the issue.

The order was passed by a division bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Brij Raj Singh on November 28 on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Gomti River Bank Residents, raising concerns over safety measures in schools allegedly running in residential areas and flouting the prescribed standards.

The petitioner sought directives for proper security arrangements in schools. The counsel appearing on behalf of the state informed the court that steps were being taken by the state to formulate a policy for the implementation of the guidelines given by the Supreme Court, and he shall inform the court about the detailed steps taken in this regard on the next date of hearing on December 16.

On October 1, the court had directed the state government to ensure that the inspection of safety measures in schools across U.P. must be undertaken with all seriousness taking into account the guidelines set by the Supreme Court in the Avinash Mehrotra case and the action plan prepared by the government as per the court’s order.

Also, the counsel for the National Disaster Management Authority submitted to the court that an affidavit shall be filed within one week. A copy of the said affidavit was already been given to the amicus, who prayed for and was granted one week’s time to go through the contents of the same.

List of Lko schools flouting HC order on vans filed

In the same matter, a list of schools that are not complying with this court’s order asking school vans to pick and drop children inside school premises, has been filed before the court by the city deputy commissioner of police (traffic). The court had, earlier, sought a list of such schools in Lucknow.

In this regard, Jaideep Narain Mathur, a senior advocate, informed the court that he was in touch with various school authorities and there was positive engagement with the institutions, and steps were being taken to ameliorate the traffic and safety conditions with regard to students in and around the educational institutions.

With regard to the traffic situation in and around the schools, the court had passed several directions and it was also expected that the schools would permit ingress of vehicles carrying children up to Class V within the school premises. In this regard it had been informed that only three schools had implemented the said directions, while a number of other schools indicated their reluctance in complying with the said directions.

It had been also informed by Lucknow DCP (Traffic) Prabal Pratap Singh that there were certain schools who were either still not complying or were under the process of complying with the directions of this court, and in this regard, he had submitted a list of such schools to the court.