Nagpur: The management and Principal of K John Public School at Aasoli village in Kamptee found themselves in troubled waters for defying orders of district administration and putting lives of students at risk as well.
It is pertinent to recall that the Divisional Commissioner had declared holiday for schools on the occasion of Mahalaxmi Puja on September 6. On this day, Nagpur and Vidarbha were battered by very heavy rains and the gushing water had flooding several areas. The grim situation was also faced by the K John Public School trapping hundreds of students in the school building as they were stuck in flood water late till late night. Despite the directives of the district administration to observe holiday on that day, the school was functioning as usual. The trapped students were rescued by worried parents themselves with the help of locals. Taking serious note of the matter, the Group Education Officer had issued show cause notice to the school on September 7. But the school management and the Principal ‘snubbed’ the notice and did not file reply. Subsequently, complaint against the school was lodged with Mouda Police in this regard.
In the police complaint, it was stated that it being holiday on September 6 on account of Mahalaxmi Puja, the management of K John Public School kept the school open as usual. Following heavy downpour on that day, the gushing water had flooded the school premises up to the main road. The situation made it difficult for school bus to reach out to students trapped in building. Over 2000 students were stranded in school hungry and thirsty. When the students failed to reach their homes in time, panicky parents frantically enquired and came to know the scary situation. The angry parents then filed a complaint at divisional level following which the Kamptee Panchayat Samiti’s Group Education Officer (Middle School) Kashyap Savarkar issued a show cause notice to the school on September 7. But the defiant school failed to reply in the stipulated time. Subsequently, the Zilla Parishad Education Officer (Middle School) Shivling Patve has recommended derecognisation of the school and ordered the Group Education Officer Savarkar to register complaint against school Principal and management with Mouda police.
