HC seeks GNCT, DDA reply on PIL against charitable societies

The Delhi High Court today sought the city government and DDA's response on a PIL seeking directions to initiate action against some charitable societies for obtaining public land at concessional rate to run nursery school but running only play school and other institutions like coaching centres.
A division bench of acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed asked the counsel for Delhi government and DDA to seek instructions over the allegation that the educational institutions have violated the lease agreement and also the master plan by running unrecognised institutions.
According to the PIL filed by Advocate Khagesh Jha, "the charitable societies obtained land for nursery school at highly concessional rates from DDA promising to start nursery school and creches for the poor but running an unrecognized play school."

The plea said the land-owing agency allotted more than 500 plots in prime locations of Delhi with an objective to provide pre-school education to the poor residents of the locality but the schools are not only blatantly violating the master plan but making money by starting various other institutions on the plot.
Citing a list of 300 such plots, the plea claimed some of the plots measuring 800 to 1000 Sq meter were allotted for Rs 20,000 each.
The petitioner also claimed to have obtained informations through RTI application and said "the Directorate of Education sponsored the societies for land but failed to frame any law to recognize play school...."

The bench fixed September 4 for further hearing of the case.