Chandigarh, March 15: The Chandigarh Administration faces potential contempt proceedings as the Punjab and Haryana High Court expressed grave concern over the failure to release court-ordered compensation for the Carmel Convent mishap. Justice Vikas Bahl has fixed the next hearing for March 27, declaring that failure to comply with the directions could lead to personal accountability for the respondents.
Legal representatives for the UT Administration stated that an appeal was filed on March 12, but the court affirmed that the absence of a stay order means the payment must proceed. The compensation package includes ₹1 crore for the family of a minor girl who lost her life and ₹50 lakh for a 15-year-old student whose arm was amputated following the falling of a heritage tree on the school premises.
“The incident has shattered the aspirations and dreams of the parents,” the court noted while describing the irreplaceable loss of a promising student. Justice Jitendra Chauhan’s inquiry committee had previously declared the Engineering Department negligent, a finding the Administration did not dispute in its earlier submissions.
The court asserted that the injured student continues to suffer significant trauma and requires daily assistance after undergoing multiple surgeries. Officials maintained that while the Administration has taken action on various safety recommendations, the refusal to disburse the financial relief constitutes a failure to acknowledge the gravity of the victims’ suffering.
