Notice to Himachal Chief Secy for 'converting' school into mall

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary and others in a suo motu cognizance of a letter written by a student alleging big shopping malls has been proposed on a government school campus in Mandi town to benefit rich and political leaders.

The student alleged during the lockdown the government destructed the building of Vijay Senior Secondary School, its playground and stage and a vacant space.

A Division Bench of acting Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed the order on Friday.

The petitioner said the existence of the playground is projected as one of the perquisites for opening a private school, but here the government itself has destroyed the playground.

Local residents, the media and social organisations are not coming forward due to fear of the government. There was earlier a primary government school in the building, which has also been closed a few years ago and now the government is planning to close the senior secondary school also so that rich and influential persons can be accommodated, the petitioner further claimed.

The petitioner also alleged that poor, orphaned and migrant children are studying in the school and the students are being mentally pressurised by officials with threats of spoiling their results and are also being given various allurements.

The letter also mentioned that former Chief Justice Swantanter Kumar has also studied in the school.

The court directed the respondents to submit their reply before next date and posted the matter after two weeks.