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Bombay high court asks Maharashtra government to provide generators in schools during exams

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The Bombay high court has asked the Maharashtra government to provide generators, inverters and solar systems to schools so that students don't have to write papers in dark due to load shedding.

A division bench of justices Abhay Oka and AS Chandurkar were hearing a contempt petition filed by activist Vishnu Gawli, alleging that the government had not implemented the earlier court orders in 2008, of supplying uninterrupted power supply to schools which conduct HSC and SSC examinations.

In 2008, Gawli had written a letter to the HC, which was converted into a suo moto PIL, highlighting that students were forced to take their exams in the dark.

On February 27, 2009, the HC had directed the government to ensure supply of around 40,000 generators to school conducting examinations. In addition, the court had asked the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) to ensure that there is no load shedding at the time of exams.

The HC had asked the authorities concerned – Maharashtra government, Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), MSEB and education department – to have a meeting and find a solution.
However, till date none of the authorities have had a meeting following which Gawli had filed a contempt petition in 2009.

Gawli, arguing in person, informed the judges that till date the government has not taken any steps to see that any provisions are made for the students, especially during the exams.

To this Justice Oka observed that the finance department should have taken the necessary steps.

The judges have asked MSEB to file affidavit by August 4.

In 2009, the HC has directed for formation of a committee to conduct surprise checks to ensure that there are backup generators. The HC had clearly stated that the action of those centers, which are not following the order, will be treated as contempt of the court and will accordingly have to face the consequences.

According to affidavit filed in 2009 by Tukaram Supe, the board's secretary, 287 examination centers have gen-sets or inverters. As many as 2,608 centers are not affected by load shedding, either because there is no power cut in those areas or the centers are airy enough, and have natural light, the affidavit had said.

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