5 yrs after quake, 3000 students of Uri shiver in open-air classroomsFive years of government efforts to build new schools in quake-devastated Uri in north Kashmir ’s Baramulla district have yielded little results, with around 3000 students of 60 schools having to attend classes in open sky or in temporary tin-sheds in extreme temperatures.October 8, 2005 , when a high magnitude earthquake hit both sides of Kashmir and razed thousands of structures to the ground, in Uri alone around 60 schools were destroyed. Subsequently, the government directed the Education Department to take immediate steps to rebuild the schools in order to mitigate the sufferings of students.However, as the funds sanctioned by the government were not enough to build the structures, the government-owned executing agencies like Roads and Buildings and others refused to accept the contract. The department next came up with an innovative, yet unsuccessful, plan to provide the contract to landowners who provided land free of cost for the construction of schools. Sources said that as the government was unable to purchase the land for the construction of schools, the landowners were appointed as members of the Village Education Committee. Besides, they were given the contract of building in order to earn some profit to compensate the loss of land. However, the department appointed some Junior Engineers (JEs) who would report the progress on the works to the concerned Zonal Education Officers. Moreover, the teachers from the schools were asked to supervise work and the joint accounts of contractors and teachers were opened to grant them money for the purpose of construction. The funds were supplied by the ZEOs as per the report of JEs and money was drawn jointly by the teachers and contractors.While the work was going on smoothly, a year back confrontation broke out between the authorities and the contractors as the later left the work incomplete. “The contractors (members of VEC) refused to work the lantern-stage onwards while claiming that they could not spare any money as profit,” sources said. As the schools are without roofing for last one year as a result of this row, the ZEO, Uri, Zaffer Iqbal lodged a complaint in local police station against 55 teachers June last, accusing them of leaving work incomplete despite taking the entire amount sanctioned for the schools. A member of the Teachers' Forum, Uri, pleading anonymity, termed the official's move "unjustified" saying the teachers cannot be faulted as "the work of execution took place under the supervision of ZEO and concerned JEs".The member said the VEC initially approached the then Director Education Mohammad Rafi and urged him to provide adequate funds, following which additional Rs 40 lakh were sanctioned. However, as the number of schools was more than 60, the funds were still inadequate and, as a result, the contractors halted the work midway.Claiming the teachers were "innocent", the Forum member said even after six months of complaint being lodged by the official, not a single teacher was found guilty by the police.However, the Forum rued the attitude of the official, saying the teachers are yet to be paid their salaries for the last six months.On December 9 a delegation of teachers met Director Education Shagufta Parveen and sought her intervention to resolve the issue. “She sought a week’s time but even after two weeks, nothing was done,” the teachers said.They said the Director also assured to set up a committee but "it seems no one is interested to resolve the issue to save the future of children, who are the real sufferers".Finally, on Monday, teachers protested outside the office of Chief Education Officer and urged him to find a solution to the problem. “Like in the past, we got only assurances. But in next couple of days they would forget it again and we would be forced to protest,” the protesting teachers said. When contacted, the CEO was not ready to comment saying he was busy.Meanwhile, the teachers threatened more such protests in case their problem is not sorted out in a week’s time.The ZEO Uri, Zaffer Iqbal said the FIR was lodged after the work was left incomplete, for which he said the teachers are responsible. “The concerned teachers were in charge of work. They should not have allowed contractors to draw all money before completing the work. That is why I lodged FIR against them,” Iqbal said. He claimed that the accused teachers are attacking him personally for taking cognizance of the issue, adding the work on schools started before he assumed the office in 2009. “I was forced to lodge FIR as children here suffer badly due to non-availability of buildings,” he said.The police official investigating the case said the case is under process and the charges are leveled against the teachers for releasing money to the contractors without completion of work.
5 yrs after quake, 3000 students of Uri shiver in open-air classrooms
Five years of government efforts to build new schools in quake-devastated Uri in north Kashmir ’s Baramulla district have yielded little results, with around 3000 students of 60 schools having to attend classes in open sky or in temporary tin-sheds in extreme temperatures.
Sources told Rising Kashmir that the Department of Education has miserably failed to build the schools after it entered into a serious confrontation with the teachers, who are blamed for the fiasco.
0n October 8, 2005 , when a high magnitude earthquake hit both sides of Kashmir and razed thousands of structures to the ground, in Uri alone around 60 schools were destroyed. Subsequently, the government directed the Education Department to take immediate steps to rebuild the schools in order to mitigate the sufferings of students.
However, as the funds sanctioned by the government were not enough to build the structures, the government-owned executing agencies like Roads and Buildings and others refused to accept the contract.
The department next came up with an innovative, yet unsuccessful, plan to provide the contract to landowners who provided land free of cost for the construction of schools.
Sources said that as the government was unable to purchase the land for the construction of schools, the landowners were appointed as members of the Village Education Committee. Besides, they were given the contract of building in order to earn some profit to compensate the loss of land.
However, the department appointed some Junior Engineers (JEs) who would report the progress on the works to the concerned Zonal Education Officers. Moreover, the teachers from the schools were asked to supervise work and the joint accounts of contractors and teachers were opened to grant them money for the purpose of construction. The funds were supplied by the ZEOs as per the report of JEs and money was drawn jointly by the teachers and contractors.
While the work was going on smoothly, a year back confrontation broke out between the authorities and the contractors as the later left the work incomplete. “The contractors (members of VEC) refused to work the lantern-stage onwards while claiming that they could not spare any money as profit,” sources said.
As the schools are without roofing for last one year as a result of this row, the ZEO, Uri, Zaffer Iqbal lodged a complaint in local police station against 55 teachers June last, accusing them of leaving work incomplete despite taking the entire amount sanctioned for the schools.
A member of the Teachers' Forum, Uri, pleading anonymity, termed the official's move "unjustified" saying the teachers cannot be faulted as "the work of execution took place under the supervision of ZEO and concerned JEs".
The member said the VEC initially approached the then Director Education Mohammad Rafi and urged him to provide adequate funds, following which additional Rs 40 lakh were sanctioned. However, as the number of schools was more than 60, the funds were still inadequate and, as a result, the contractors halted the work midway.
Claiming the teachers were "innocent", the Forum member said even after six months of complaint being lodged by the official, not a single teacher was found guilty by the police.
However, the Forum rued the attitude of the official, saying the teachers are yet to be paid their salaries for the last six months.
On December 9 a delegation of teachers met Director Education Shagufta Parveen and sought her intervention to resolve the issue. “She sought a week’s time but even after two weeks, nothing was done,” the teachers said.
They said the Director also assured to set up a committee but "it seems no one is interested to resolve the issue to save the future of children, who are the real sufferers".
Finally, on Monday, teachers protested outside the office of Chief Education Officer and urged him to find a solution to the problem. “Like in the past, we got only assurances. But in next couple of days they would forget it again and we would be forced to protest,” the protesting teachers said. When contacted, the CEO was not ready to comment saying he was busy.
Meanwhile, the teachers threatened more such protests in case their problem is not sorted out in a week’s time.
The ZEO Uri, Zaffer Iqbal said the FIR was lodged after the work was left incomplete, for which he said the teachers are responsible. “The concerned teachers were in charge of work. They should not have allowed contractors to draw all money before completing the work. That is why I lodged FIR against them,” Iqbal said.
He claimed that the accused teachers are attacking him personally for taking cognizance of the issue, adding the work on schools started before he assumed the office in 2009. “I was forced to lodge FIR as children here suffer badly due to non-availability of buildings,” he said.
The police official investigating the case said the case is under process and the charges are leveled against the teachers for releasing money to the contractors without completion of work.
No comments