NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of Jhalawar school building collapse that killed 7 students

The tragedy claimed the lives of seven young students and left 28 others severely injured, raising grave concerns over infrastructure safety and administrative accountability.

According to media reports, local residents had repeatedly warned the district authorities about the building's deteriorating condition, but no preventive action was taken.

This apparent negligence has prompted the NHRC to intervene, observing that if the media reports are accurate, the case reflects a significant failure in the duty of care owed to students. In response, the Commission has issued formal notices to the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan and the Superintendent of Police in Jhalawar.

These officials have been directed to provide a detailed report within two weeks, covering various aspects of the incident. The report is expected to outline the current medical condition of the injured students and specify the compensation provided to the families of the deceased.

It should also address whether disciplinary action has been initiated against any officials deemed responsible for the negligence and what preventive steps have been taken to avoid similar tragedies in the future.

The NHRC emphasises the urgent need for structural audits of school buildings throughout Rajasthan and a comprehensive reassessment of safety measures across public educational institutions.

Prior to this, the Rajasthan government has decided to prioritise the repair of dilapidated school buildings, government institutions, and Anganwadi centres across the state. The decision was taken during a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma.

The Chief Minister announced that the permissible allocation under the Dang, Magra, and Mewat Regional Development Plan for the repair of government institutions, including school buildings and Anganwadi centres, would be increased from 15 per cent to 20 per cent. (ANI)