PONDA: The parents and village panch on Monday urged the government to repair the Kelbay-Curti Government Primary School, which is on the verge of collapse.
They said that the school is not repaired since past 50 years despite repeated demands. The parents are also concerned over the fact that due to land ownership dispute the toilet constructed is attached to the classroom, which is posing health risk to the students and are learning in unhygienic condition.
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The parents said, “If the school is illegal then the government should declare it and solve the problem.”
Curti Khandepar Panch Bhika Kerkar said, “Now if the school starts from October then the students will have to face water leakages as the roof is not repaired. The Education Department should clarify why the school building is not repaired since past 50 years.”
He urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should look into matter. He said, “I have sent several memorandums to the government.
On my request Ponda MLA Ravi Naik in 2017 had urged the Education Department to repair the school but fell on deaf ears.
There are two school buildings here and both are not repaired. Around 60 students are enrolled. We even forwarded letters through panchayat to the government to reconstruct the building so that even Balwadi children can be accommodated.”
“Not only as a parent but also as local panch I feel very sad to see the children are forced to learn in school that has leaking roof. Few years back, the Education Department had put plastic cover on the roof but not bothered to repair it. The school owns land of around 1080 sq mtrs as per the Education Department record and also recorded in survey number of Curti Panchayat area in the name of Education Department,” he added.
“If there is any reason for not repairing the school then the Education Department should inform the parents. There was a tender out for three times for construction of the compound wall around the school but got cancelled every time. If the school is illegal then the government must declare it. We must know why repairs are not conducted and the students are forced to sit under the roof which is leaking,” said Kerkar.
Meanwhile, according to the sources since past many years there is ownership dispute prevailing and though the 1080 sq mtrs land is recorded on the Education Department name on Form 1/14, the original owner is claiming the right over the land. Some parents said, “The government should sort out the disputes in the interest of students.”
