Build New School for Children of Minority School: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court today told the DDA and the AAP government to build a new school for the children of a minority institution which functions from tin sheds after it was razed during the Emergency, to ensure better conditions for their education.

Another option given by a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar to the authorities was to enhance the capacity of nearby schools to accommodate the children.

"Ensure that the children do not study under tin sheds. Either increase the capacity of schools in the area or build a new one," the bench said.

The court also made the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) a party in the matter in which a PIL was filed seeking reconstruction of the minority school building which has been functioning from tents and tin sheds at the Eidgah grounds in Quresh Nagar of Old Delhi since its demolition on June 30, 1976 during the Emergency.

It issued notice to the NDMC and sought its response to the PIL, after the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) told the bench that the school was demolished by the MCD 40 years ago.

DDA and the Delhi government also told the court that it was difficult to find an alternate plot of land to locate the school as the area in question was very congested.

The PIL filed by civil activist Firoz Bakht Ahmed has contended that the state of affairs at the Qaumi School was "sad and pitiable" as it was functioning from the grounds of the Eidgah after its building was demolished.

The plea has alleged that despite promises of land and building, nothing was done and the school continued to function in a "tattered, tented and tinned structure, without a building" since 1976.

The PIL, filed through advocate Atyab Siddiqui, contended that the children from "downtrodden and backward class have to suffer due to threats of closure, makeshift classrooms, leaking roofs and no proper facilities." 

The petition said it was obligatory on the state to provide infrastructure including a school building and the civic authorities have failed to discharge the statutory onus.