Date:08/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/03/08/stories/2007030823260400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Response to petition on safety of children soon

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The State Government is readying itself to file its counter to a petition in the Supreme Court seeking direction to all States and union territories, including Karnataka, to take steps to ensure safety of children studying in schools.

The office of the Advocate General on the premises of the High Court has received the file pertaining to the case and the Government advocate in charge of education will be drafting the response of the State. A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed on August 27, 2004 by Avinash Mehrotra in the Supreme Court after the Kumbakonam school tragedy in which several children were burnt to death.

The case came up for hearing on September 17, 2004. The Supreme Court on May 4, 2005 ordered issue of notices to the Union Government and all the States.

The PIL had sought issue of instructions or direction to the authorities on the construction of school buildings and safety standards to be followed by all schools in the country.

It said there is lax enforcement of safety laws in schools and this had led to the Kumbakonam tragedy.

It said a majority of the schools in the districts were situated in congested lanes and those in villages and small urban centres had school buildings whose roof was covered with dry grass or had thatched roofs. The office of the Advocate-General is likely to file the response shortly.