NHRC notice to Rajasthan government over Jhalawar school building collapse

NEW DELHI: The NHRC on Saturday said it has issued notices to the Rajasthan government and the superintendent of police of Jhalawar in the wake of collapse of a government school building in the district resulting in the death of seven students and injuries to several others.

The National Human Rights Commission has sought a detailed report in two weeks. A regular morning, alive with the chatter of students assembling for prayers, quickly turned into tragedy on Friday when a portion of the Piplodi government school building in Jhalawar district collapsed, killing seven children and injuring over 25, some of them critically.

The NHRC, in a statement, said it has "taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a government school building collapsed resulting in the death of seven children and injuries to 28 others in Jhalawar district of Rajasthan on 25th July".

Also read PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan: Even among top schools, 30% lack resources, 50% need repairs

Reportedly, locals had informed the district authorities about the "dilapidated condition of the school building, but no action was taken," it said. The commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violation.

"Therefore, it has issued notices to the chief secretary, government of Rajasthan and the superintendent of police, Jhalawar, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks," the statement said. The report is also expected to include the status of health of the injured students as well as compensation, if any, paid to the next of kin of the deceased, the rights panel said.