Guj govt to build bridge over Hiran river: Minister

Within hours of being reprimanded by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the issue of children forced to swim across a river to reach school, Gujarat government today announced to construct a bridge over the Hiran river in Chhota Udepur district.
State Road and Building minister Nitin Patel, who is also the spokesperson minister of Gujarat Government, claimed that the state government has already given the approval to build a bridge six days back.
"Earlier, several BJP workers and former MLAs of that area made their representation on the issue. Even the villagers and sarpanch of the villages came to meet me. At that time, I had personally assured them that the government will definitely approve the work," Patel told reporters here.

He said his department had also submitted a technical report and estimate to build the bridge.
"On August 14, the government officially approved the construction of a bridge at cost of Rs 8 crore on Hiran river. Thus, NHRC's notice does not stand its ground, as the bridge is already approved," Patel said.
The NHRC, taking suo moto cognisance on media reports of children swimming across the river to reach their school in absence of a bridge, today issued a notice to Gujarat government.
About 125 students of five villages in Chhota Udepur district faced difficulty to attend their school in Utavadi village of Narmada district.

The Commission observed that the content of the press report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of right to life of the children who swim across the river and the right to education of those who are not able to go to school due to this problem.