HC orders state-wide inspection of all juniour student hostels, seeks report

The Allahabad High Court today ordered a state-wide inspection of the conditions of all student hostels under the control of UP Basic Education Board and sought reports on the lapses found and remedial measures taken for them.

A bench of Justice Surya Prakash Kesarwani ordered all subdivisional magistrates across the state to undertake an expeditious inspection of hostels in his or her jurisdiction within ten days to ascertain conditions of their buildings, rooms, toilets, recreational facilities, mess, quality of foods and security of wards in them.

The bench asked the district authorities to submit their reports to the state government which was directed to examine them within the next three days and apprise the court subsequently of the remedial measures taken or proposed by them by the next date of hearing on August 8.

The bench ordered the inspection while hearing a plea by a former Hostel Warden, Arti Yadav of a girl school in Etah distrct, challenging her sacking.

Yadav, was appointed by the UP Basic Education Board as warden of Kasturba Gandhi Avasiya Balika Vidyalaya, Awagarh in Etah on contract, which had been cancelled on March 28 this year.

During hearing of Yadav's plea, the state authorities submitted to the court an inquiry report dated March 19, 2018, detailing various shortcomings in the condition and facilities at the girls' hostel.

The government, however, failed to apprise the court of the requisite remedial measures taken by it to remove the shortcomings and enhance the facilities in the hostels.

This prompted the court to order an inspection of all hostels under the UP Basic Education Board across the state.