J-K And Ladakh HC Directs Swift Infrastructure Enhancement in Schools; Highlights Urgency for Toilets and Boundary Walls

The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has issued a directive for prompt measures to enhance infrastructure facilities in Primary and Secondary Schools across both urban and rural regions within the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

The bench, comprised of Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal emphasized the paramount importance of sufficient infrastructure, affirming that the provision of toilets for both boys and girls, along with the construction of boundary walls, is crucial for the effective functioning of schools. The bench ordered that ongoing works should be completed within one month from the date when a copy of this order is made available to the concerned authorities.

The bench issued the directive in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the All Jammu and Kashmir & Ladakh Teachers Federation in 2017, seeking appropriate infrastructure and a balanced student-teacher ratio in schools.

During the proceedings, attention was drawn to a status report submitted by the Project Director of Samagra Shiksha, J&K, which detailed ongoing and completed projects under the AWP&B (civil works) Samagra Shiksha. Notably, the report highlighted that several crucial projects, including toilet construction, were still in progress.

Taking cognizance of this, the bench instructed the relevant authorities to expedite the pending projects within a strict timeframe of one month. The court expressed its desire to receive information from the Administration regarding the current stage of progress and the anticipated completion date for the 53 boys’ and girls’ toilets, as well as the 433 elementary and 140 boundary walls mentioned in the status report.

Moreover, the court emphasized the importance of resolving the issue of inadequate land availability for schools. The Administration was directed to submit a comprehensive report outlining the steps taken, including the potential need for compulsory land acquisition, to address this challenge.

Furthermore, Mr. Vishal Sharma, the counsel for the Union Territory of Ladakh, was instructed to provide an affidavit detailing the initiatives taken to enhance schools within the Union Territory of Ladakh by the next hearing date.

The case is scheduled to be taken up again on September 18, 2023.