Mishaps at Delhi schools: HC asks govt, SDMC to reply on PIL

Divyansh Kakrora, a six-year-old Class I student of Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj, died after falling in a tank in his school on January 30.

New Delhi: Terming as "unfortunate" the death of two children after falling in tanks in their respective schools here, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response of AAP government, South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and the school authorities.

"It's a very unfortunate incident. This matter requires consideration," a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said.

The court also asked the education department of Delhi government, SDMC, Commissioner of Police and both the schools - Ryan International and the MCD-run school in Kapashera- to file their status report and "the action they have proposed to take in view of the present incidents."

It also issued notice to all the respective authorities directing them to explain the "steps they will be taking to ensure that no such incident takes place in the future," and sought their replies before February 9.

Meanwhile, during the brief hearing, the counsel for SDMC told the court that soon after the incident took place, the Kapashera school's principal was suspended.

The PIL filed by Col (retd.) Devinder Sehrawat, MLA from Bijwasan constituency, through advocate Kamlesh Kumar Mishra, sought judicial inquiry into the deaths of the children and also called for disaster management assessment of all schools here. Divyansh Kakrora, a six-year-old Class I student of Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj here died after falling in a tank in his school on January 30. In a similar incident on January 27, five-year-old Ankit died after falling into an open septic tank in an MCD school in Kapashera area of south Delhi.

In his plea, Sehrawat also sought direction for payment of Rs 50 lakh each as compensation to families of the children. "The petitioner prays that urgent steps be taken to ensure that such ghastly incidents do not reoccur and authorities entrusted to safeguard citizen's health and life perform the duties for which they are paid handsome salary from the state exchequer," the plea said.