NHRC notice to Rajasthan govt

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Government of Rajasthan, through Chief Secretary, after taking suo motu cognizance of a media report alleging that a Government Higher Secondary School, named  ‘Adarsh’ at Gandhi Sawairam Village in Alwar district is located on a funeral ground.

As a result, whenever a cremation takes place, the school is closed for three days. Allegedly, despite successive Principals of the school writing to the education department to shift to school elsewhere, no action has been taken.  The state government has been given 4 weeks to respond, according to a PIB release.

Noting it as a bizarre situation, the Commission has observed that the contents of the news report indicate total ignorance, negligence and inaction by the Department of Education of the state and the local administration. Educational Institutions and crematoria are an integral part of society but it sounds unethical that both are existing and functional on the same premises, it said. The body of a deceased person deserves to be cremated in a dignified manner and the Right to Education of the school students is also to be protected as well. Therefore, it is necessary that the school and the cremation ground be separated by shifting either of the two to another suitable place, the NHRC observed.

According to the media report carried on August 30, 2016, the Adarsh School was setup in 1950, as a primary school and later upgraded to the higher secondary level.  It has no desks to sit for the students. They sit on the floor. Heaps of garbage are piled up at its entrance, where pigs can be seen roaming. Former Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Samrath Lal Meena was its alumnus. Some of those who studied here have crossed 75 years of age and are surprised that the problem continues even when their  grand children are studying there.