Bangalore
Mirror: Bangalore: Tuesday, 11 November 2014.
Having
schools in close proximity to each other is bound to cause traffic problems,
especially at peak hours, not to speak of the noise pollution. That is the
reason the Karnataka Education Act specifies that new schools cannot be
permitted within one kilometre radius of an existing school. However, like many
others relating to the safety of school children, this too has not been
implemented by the authorities.
Now a school
in Thanisandra Main Road has approached the High Court of Karnataka with a
contempt petition against the authorities for allowing a school to be started
right opposite their existing school. This has led to not just traffic
congestion, the petition said. According to the petition filed by St Javeria
English School, there are not less than 15 schools within a one-kilometre
radius.
School
authorities said that the proximity has put the safety of children at risk. In
the last few weeks, not less than three children have been injured due to
accidents, they said.
Parents
complain that the noise caused by the various classes disrupt the children's
concentration, making it hard for them to learn. The court has now issued
notices to the Commissioner, Department of Public Instructions for willful
disobedience of its directions.
The petition
says that the school has classes from nursery to SSLC and is operating for the
last 13 years. Recently a new school, SR International Girls School, was started
opposite. Representations were given to the education department against this
school for violating the Education Act. During this time the name of the new
school was changed to MHN Islamic Urdu Junior Primary School.
When no
action was forthcoming from the department, St Javeria approached the education
minister. But despite a reminder by the minister, the department did not take
action, the petition said. St Javeria has produced before the court photographs
of the schools and the traffic congestion caused by their close proximity. The
petition says about 15 schools including 12 Kannada medium schools, one private
Urdu medium school, one government Urdu medium school and one government
Kannada medium school are in the vicinity. The school obtained this information
through RTI from the office of the DDPI itself.
In response
to the school's earlier petition, the court had ordered that within three
weeks, the department should inform the school authorities what course of
action they would take in this regard. This order was passed in July 22, 2014.
But when no action was taken even after two months, the contempt petition was
filed.
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