The issue of dilapidated Government school buildings was vociferously raised during the ordinary session of the Bhopal Zila Panchayat. Vice President Mohan Singh Jaat and members Vinay Mehar, Vikram Baleshwar and Bijia Rajouria expressed serious concern, questioning who would be held responsible if any accident occurred in these unsafe structures. Responding to the issue raised by the members, District Project Co-ordinator (DPC) R K Yadav stated that these buildings are being inspected.

 

He recounted observing children studying under leaking roofs during his inspection in Dogra Jagir and Piplia, and mentioned that he had the roofs cleaned that very night. Yadav added that work is being carried out with the available resources. Vice President Jaat emphasised inspecting all schools, while member Rajouria expressed apprehension that assurances would be given now, but no work would be done later. Member Mehar cited the example of the Patharia school, which has been operating from a pond for three years, with water leaking from its 25-year-old building’s roof. He attributed the migration of government school children to private schools to this very reason. CEO Ila Tiwari informed that a new building has been constructed in Patharia but is not being utilized, suggesting that children be shifted to another government building.

 

Member Baleshwar highlighted the problem of a collapsed school wall and snakes appearing in Bhamra, expressing dissatisfaction that children were still being made to sit in the dilapidated school. During the meeting, a heated exchange also occurred between CEO Tiwari and Fanda Janpad President Pramod Singh Rajput over the demand to summon SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) and police officials. The CEO asked for a written proposal, to which Rajput stated that it had been submitted in writing previously.

 

The meeting was held to review the Health, Education, PHE (Public Health Engineering), Agriculture, PWD (Public Works Department), Tribal Affairs, Forest, and Women & Child Development departments. Earlier, representatives were denied entry to the General Administration Committee meeting. An order had been issued for officials not to send their representatives to the ordinary session, but many officials sent their subordinates. Notably, this meeting had been postponed twice before, with July 11 being finalised as the date. The previous meeting saw considerable uproar when the Vice President and members grilled officials on several issues, including education and roads.