Now Reading: Orissa HC seeks report on school safety audits after deaths
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Orissa HC seeks report on school safety audits after deaths
The Orissa High Court has directed the state government to strictly implement safety guidelines and submit a compliance report, expressing concern over recurring deaths and injuries of school children due to collapsing structures on government school premises.
A division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Chittaranjan Dash issued the order while hearing a PIL filed by activist Prabir Kumar Das. The court noted that incidents include the death of Class III student Premanand Bhatara in Koraput on December 17, 2025, after a concrete plaque collapsed, and the death of a Class I student in Mayurbhanj two days later. In Gajapati, two students died on April 15 after a school gate wall collapsed.
The state submitted that the Odisha School Education Programme Authority had issued instructions to collectors on August 1 for school safety audits. The court took the instructions on record and directed authorities to act strictly and report on steps taken. The next hearing is on September 3.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The court's intervention follows a pattern of infrastructure failures in Odisha government schools, where years of neglect have left buildings unmaintained. While compensation has been paid, the bench's emphasis on preventive audits shifts focus to systemic accountability. The August 1 directive to collectors is the key implementation lever, the September 3 hearing will test whether the state can demonstrate concrete action beyond circulars. The real test will be whether safety audits are conducted, results made public, and repairs funded. With the school year under way, each week of delay carries risk for lakhs of students in ageing government buildings.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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