The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a report about students in MP’s Vidisha district crossing the Betwa River by hopping on check dam pillars to reach school. It has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, calling it a rights violation.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report about school students are risking their lives by hopping across check dam pillars to cross the Betwa River in order to reach school in Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha district. The Commission has issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
According to the NHRC, students from Kakraua village reportedly use the dangerous route because it reduces the travel distance from 13 kilometres by road to just 1.5 kilometres. As per reports, nine students, including five girls, cross the river in this manner every day.
NHRC Cites Violation of Human Rights
The commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if it is true, raise serious concerns regarding the violation of human rights. It noted that Article 21A of the Constitution of India guarantees free and compulsory education to be provided by the state to children aged 6 to 14 years. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 also makes education a right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 years. It found the lack of a safe mode of transport for children to reach school amounts to a negation of their fundamental right to education with dignity.
Accordingly, the commission issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
Viral Video Highlights Villagers’ Plight
According to the media report, carried on August 4, a video of the students hopping perilously across the wide gaps in the exposed check dam pillars has gone viral on social media. The villagers reportedly express their inability to drop their children off at a faraway school as they have to work in the fields. The option they have is to either stop sending them or continue this way. Reportedly, a student failed her final exams after missing school because she could not cross the pillars due to her short height.
Official Response and Unresolved Issue
The District Education Officer has visited the spot and informed the District Collector about the issue. However, a timeline for the construction of a safe passage to cross the river has not been mentioned. (ANI)
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