Uttarkahand High-Court Restrict The State Government To Buy Any Luxurious Items Till They Fix Schools

Pulling the strings on purchasing luxurious items by Uttarakhand government, the state High-Court holds the government accountable for the deteriorating conditions of the schools and failing to meet the bare minimum facilities in government schools.

“Since the state government has miserably failed to provide bare minimum facilities in schools inter alia benches, desks, blackboards, hygienic separate toilets for boys and girls, water purifiers and ceiling fans, the state government is restrained from buying luxurious cars, furniture and air conditioners till further orders,” the court said.

Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Deepak Rana had asked the state government to provide necessary amenities in all government schools across the state.

The Uttarakhand government runs 12,533 primary, 2.809 upper primary and 2,203 secondary schools, as mentioned in the state’s department of education. However, the basic necessities for any school to function like chairs, benches and fans were missing from these schools.

The High Court had last year asked the state government to provide benches, desks, school uniform, mid-day meals, computers, blackboards and a library in all government schools across the state, apart from constructing hygienic toilets separately for boys and girls.
On Thursday, the Division Bench of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Alok Singh said, “Till date, the judgment has not been implemented. It reflects a very sorry state of affairs.”