Nagpur: The internationally acclaimed Bhonsala Military School, Nagpur, started with the aim of inculcating habits of discipline and organized work in youth and create a sense of leadership, has found itself on slippery ground. A dubious act on the part of the highly reputed school has hit the headlines.
The Bhonsala Military School, Nagpur, run by the Central Hindu Education Society, Nashik, was started about 20 years ago with an aim to inculcate patriotism and discipline among children. It is located in Chakki Khapa area of Nagpur Tehsil (rural). This residential school is adjacent to Outer Ring Road. A 30-acre land under Survey No. 64/2 was given to the school by district administration in 1997. Thereafter, the school management undertook construction work which is still going on.
A probe has revealed brazen violations committed by the Bhonsala Military School in its expansion plans over the years. Allotted only 30 acres of land on lease, it has encroached upon another 40 acres of land.
According to a local farmer Vivek Sisodiya, the school management in 1998, encroached upon a large portion of zudpi jungle area and built a massive playground/parade ground in front of the allotted 30-acre land. Currently, the school is also illegally excavating murrum (red gravel) from a hillock thus causing environmental damage. The encroachment has been done on zudpi jungle area where no activity can be done without forest permission.
Sisodiya further alleged that the Secretary of School Management Committee Shailesh Joglekar, in 2011, leveled the high-quality murram hillock under Survey No. 114 and a paved a way till his farm. Joglekar even allegedly partitioned Survey No. 120 land in two parts and illegally constructed a road for easy access to his farm.
According to Sisodiya, the school management started encroaching on adjoining land from 1997 itself when construction of the school buildings started. The school is located in survey number 64/2 as per government records. It has now encroached 21.19 hectares on survey number 64/1, 6.38 hectares on survey number 63 and 5.94 hectares on survey number 66. The permanent stage constructed on the encroached land is also illegal as it comes under Outer Ring Road limits. The Ring Road is passing through National Highway which is under construction but the work has been stalled at the behest of Joglekar. The work has been stopped for the annual function of the school which is slated to be held on January 30 and 31.
Other charges of Sisodiya:
- The school has grabbed 40-acres of land and constructed a main building having kitchen, horse stable, residents for staff, sewage treatment plant, a big laundry, swimming pool and a military training ground.
- Farmers in the dock: Shockingly, the contaminated water of sewage treatment plant and chemical-laced water is release in the agriculture fields of nearby farmers. The arsenic water not only damaging the environment but also damaging crops of the farmers.
- The school management, violating the rules brazenly,has dug up dozens of borewells of 800 ft size. Water is drawn by machines leaving the farmers high and dry.
- Deluge of complaints: Sisodiya says he has lodged complaints with District Collector, Tehsildar, SDO, BDO and Patwari in writing, orally frequently and demanded to rein in the school management. But the authorities have turned a blind eye and have not acted on his complaints so far. May be the management of Bhonsala Military School has high reach with government and administration.
- Sisodiya has demanded the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take immediate possession of the land from school management.
- The contaminated water being released in farmers’ fields be stopped.
- The farmers, who have suffered losses since years due to folly of the school management, be compensated. The amount should be recovered from the school management.
- Action should be initiated against the babus who neglected the complaints filed by citizens.
– Rajeev Ranjan Kushwaha (rajeev.nagpurtoday@gmail.com)
