Chandigarh, Aug 12 — The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of 27 government schools in Hisar district still operating in structurally unsafe buildings, directing the authorities to secure alternative arrangements for students within eight weeks.
The three-member commission, headed by Justice Lalit Batra (retd), said many of the buildings had been officially condemned yet continued to house classrooms, exposing children — some as young as six — to broken staircases, damaged water tanks, unstable walls and roofs, and sealed toilets.
“The ground situation reveals not merely administrative negligence but a threat to the safety, dignity and psychological well-being of schoolchildren,” the panel observed. “Such conditions not only violate the physical safety of the students but also result in mental trauma, fear, and academic disruption, undermining their right to education in a safe environment.”
Justice Batra warned that during the monsoon, students also face risks from snakes and other hazards due to poor infrastructure. “Entire school buildings, including toilets, staircases and kitchens, have been rendered unusable in severe instances,” he said.
Citing the recent building collapse in neighbouring Rajasthan that killed seven students and injured 28, the HHRC said the Haryana government must act proactively to avert such tragedies. The panel called the failure to provide safe, functional facilities a “criminal abdication of duty” and a violation of child safety norms under the Right to Education Act, 2009.
The commission has directed the principal secretary for school education, the director general of secondary education, the Hisar deputy commissioner, additional deputy commissioner, and the district education officer to file a detailed report. The submission must include the status of each condemned building, measures taken for student safety, a reconstruction timeline, budget allocations, the number of affected students, and reasons for delays in repairs or relocation.
