AAP govt to rebuild school demolished 40 yrs ago: HC told

Delhi High Court was today told that the AAP government was exploring all possibilities to allot land for a minority school which has been functioning from tents since its demolition 40 years ago during Emergency.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath was further informed that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal himself has asked the Development Commissioner to identify some land for the school at earliest.
"The Delhi government is seized of the matter (to allot land) and we are exploring every possibility to allot them an alternate land to run the school," Additional Standing Counsel Sanjoy Ghose, appearing for Delhi government said, adding they were keen to resolve the issue.

The court, however, asked the government to file an affidavit before October 20 giving details of the steps they have taken.
The Delhi government's response came in the backdrop of the court's notice issued on a PIL seeking reconstruction of the building of a minority school which has been functioning from tents since its demolition 40 years ago during Emergency.
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 at Quresh Nagar in Old Delhi after its building was demolished on June 30, 1976, during Emergency.

The plea 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 children from the "down-trodden and backward class have to suffer due to threats of closure, makeshift classrooms, leaking roofs and no proper facilities.
"A hostile and inclement environment can hardly be conducive for learning. With competition at the school leaving board examinations reaching stupendous proportions, children from such schools are placed at a huge disadvantage from the very inception of their schooling life."

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.