Delhi govt to strenthen infrastructure in its schools

Updated on: Friday, January 21, 2011

Delhi govt said it has decided to start working on strengthening the infrastructure of schools to avoid repeat of a mishap like stampede in Khajoori Khas school in 2009.

Appearing before a Delhi High Court's division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Standing Counsel Najmi Waziri said work would start in its 400 schools all over the city within a month.

To his submission, the Bench sought an affidavit from the government with details about the nature of work it would carry out to avoid any type of mishap in any school.

At least five girls were killed in the stampede that had occurred when they were moving up and down using a narrow staircase after they were asked to shift classrooms during examinations on a rainy day on September 10, 2009.

Earlier, the court had enhanced the exgratia payment compensation amount from Rs 2 to Rs 5 lakh and directed the government pay it to the parents of the five girls who were killed in the incident.
The court had also enhanced the ex-gratia amount to the families of 35 injured children from Rs 50,000, to Rs 75,000.

The court was earlier informed that one of the causes for the stampede was the rumour that current passed through the flood water, leading to the rush of children to escape.

The court had directed the competent authority to broaden the passage of the school and build a proper drainage system to clear waterlogging in the premises as expeditiously as possible.

The Bench had also directed the government to take action against the officials responsible for occurrence of such a man-made incident in the school.

Delhi govt to strenthen infrastructure in its schools

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