The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an action-taken report (ATR) from the Kendrapada Collector over the plight Kadalibadi Primary School students, Ostapur Panchayat.
Acting on a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC sought a reply within four weeks from the concerned authorities on September 12.
“The students are studying on the village road due to non-availability of public road to reach the school. The private land of a villager has been fenced and the students denied entry to their school. Non-availability of public road to the school and denial of communication to the school amounts serious violation of human rights,” the petitioner alleged.
The failure of the Education department and the district administration is responsible for the violation of human rights of these children. This is not an isolated instance of non-availability of public road/communication facility to the school. There are many other schools in India where the students are denied these basic human rights, Radhakanta pointed out.
The children are forced to sit under open sky, without roof, without toilet and drinking water facilities nearby. Failure of the State to take care of these school children amounts to gross human rights violation, Tripathy further alleged.
He requested the NHRC to direct the State to immediately ensure public road/communication facility preferably motorable road to the School in the present case and direct the government of India and the State to ensure the basic human rights of the School children including public pucca road/motorable communication facilities to all the schools.