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Mangalore, Jun 9: Child Welfare Committee (CWC) issued a notice to Department of Public Instructions (DPI) seeking clarifications as to how a school was asked to vacate by the project proponents of Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) Limited.

 Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) had served a notice to management of Hindu Aided Higher Primary School (HAHPS) in Kalavaru near here to vacate the school building within seven days. KIADB had acquired 99 cents of land including the school building for the first phase of SEZ and the payment for the same was also made to the management.

As the acquisition of land for the first phase of SEZ was started more than 80 students out of the total 145 students took their transfer certificates and joined other schools in the vicinity. When the school was reopened after summer vacation three teachers continued to teach the remaining 45 students. A delegation of students had approached CWC seeking justice. On verification the CWC found that the SEZ project proponents who acquired the land had not made any alternative arrangements including building a school. This absence of an alternative school building was first published in these columns  on June 5.

CWC taking the facts into consideration sent a notice to Deputy Director of Public Instructions seeking explanation on the evacuation notice dispatched by KIADB to the school management. Further CWC sought explanation as to what alternative arrangements the school management would make to relocate the school to another place. CWC member Geo D'Silva told Express that the Committee had asked  DDPI to furnish the details within  a fortnight.

CWC also wrote to National Child Commission (NCC) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking intervention and justice in the issue. Observations and notings which the CWC found in the case was sent to NCC and NHRC. The CWC also wrote to President of India, state chief secretary, education secretary and deputy commissioner highlighting the issue.

Speaking to Express the correspondent of the school Ramesh Rao said that he had requested the DDPI to given some more time to find another place. He also had informed the DDPI that it would be difficult to find a new school building within seven days. "I am trying to find another place so as to ensure the school to function without any obstacles," Rao said.