Indore: Complaint against Chameli Devi Public School for operating from commercial complex

Indore: Concerned parents and education activists during a ‘Jan Sunwai’ here on Tuesday requested additional collector to take action against Chameli Devi Public School -2 situated in Yashwant Plaza for running the school from a commercial complex, and that too without basic facilities for the children.

Explaining the contention, activist Sunil Khandelwal, who filed a complaint with the additional collector in the matter, said “The school has been running on the third and fourth floor of the commercial complex with no lift facility.

Even primary students are climbing the stairs and passing through hotels and restaurant to reach their school every day,” wondering “Is this ideal environment for a school?”

“Is it right for the administration to provide registrations to schools without checking their basic safety and security norms and act tough only after something worse has happened?” Khandelwal questioned. He stressed that “Action on such schools is must for it is the children’s life that is at risk.”

“About 1,200 to 2,000 children climb those stairs every day with no safety measures put in place for them,” Khandelwal said. He rued that despite all these the school has been provided with registration on the basis of its profile presented differently.

“Documents of the school presented at block resource centre (BRC) and district education officer (DEO) for necessary approvals and registration shows the floor area measures 1,642 square feet which is obviously not available on third or fourth floor of a commercial building,” Khandelwal argued.

However, receiving the complaint, additional collector Kailash Wankhede formed an inspection committee to look into the matter. Khandelwal also informed the officer about how another errant St Arnold’s Higher Secondary School Scheme no 74, was pressurising parents to purchase school shoes of a particular brand from a particular shop at double the cost for their wards.

To this, Wankhede assured “We would facilitate registration of an FIR against the school soon,” Khandelwal said.