Sardarpur: Over 250 odd students of class IX to XII studying at the Government Model School in Sardarpur village at Dhar district were all cheeres on Wednesday as the local administration freed their playground of encroachment.
The students have been irked as for last five-six years a private road construction company called RVRCL, building the Indore – Ahmedabad National Highway No 59 has encroached upon their playground and turned it into an open garage and the scrap yard.
Heavy machinery like mixer, road rollers, old tyres and other scrap are dumped on the school ground, leaving no space for the children to play.
All this while the entire administrative machinery as well as politicians have made it convenient to look the other way despite being aware of the RVRCL’s mess.
Free Press has repeatedly raised the issue about the unfortunate developments in the Government Model School in one of the tribal dominating area in the state.
Free Press has also reported on how the administrative officials and even the public representatives have been a mute spectators and have not taken up the issue even though the school students and management have complained to the authorities on several occasions.
The school was established in 2011 and initially the classes were held at the Government School of Excellence building.
Its building was constructed five years ago, but before the administration could shift the school to the new building, the construction company started parking their heavy machinery and dumping scrap on the school ground. After waiting for two more years, the department shifted Model School to the new premises.
The matter was even raised before then state school education minister Prabhuram Choudhary, he admitted that he is aware of the entire case and that he will direct the district education officer to resolve the problem.
Free Press has raised the issue before the Sardarpur MLA Pratap Grewal and he too accepted that he is aware of the encroachment. Grewal said that they had asked sub-divisional magistrate to resolve the issue but the SDM has been continuously ignoring the issue.
After failing to get a resolution from the local administration, even after repeated complaints, the stakeholders lodged a complaint on CM Helpline on March 5 this year.
However, on this occasion the local administration close the complaint after some window dressing.
Eventually Free Press and the schoolchildren raised issue before the present SDM Vijay Rai who assumed Sardarpur charge on April 10. He visited the place and took stock of situation and taking cognisance into the matter, warned the company to remove their scrap from the ground within stipulated time limit granted by the administration to the company or face consequences.
After getting administration’s ultimatum, company removed their scrap from the ground on Wednesday.
Liquor shop near school still a big concern
Though local administration patting its own back after removing the private construction company scrap from the school ground, but the presence of a liquor shop barely 500 metre away from the school is still a major concern for the students as well as a challenge for the local administration. Locals claimed that concerned authority has given permission for liquor shop in the month of July this year.
Locals who raised their concerned before the local administration earlier said that many students use to go through the liquor shop daily.
When contacted SDM Rai said that local have submitted a memorandum demanding action in the matter. Administration has asked excise department to look into the matter and after preliminary investigation it came to fore the license was given after following all the norms set by the government and there is no irregularity in the matter.
