The Maharashtra govt has admitted to every possible sin - from misappropriation of funds to mismanagement of schools to gross dereliction of duty.
Guilty as charged. The Maharashtra government has admitted to every possible sin - from misappropriation of funds to mismanagement of schools to gross dereliction of duty - in the running of residential schools for tribal children in Dahanu district.
In an affidavit filed in the Bombay high court in a case relating to tribal ashram (residential) schools, the state admitted that the system had completely broken down.
The list of mea culpas makes for sickening reading. The state admitted that a Std IV girl who died of sickle-cell anemia was not taken to hospital by the headmaster or superintendent of school at Dhundlawadi.
It admitted that the ashram’s officers siphoned off funds meant for the purchase of sanitary napkins and for anti-termite treatment. It admitted that mobile vehicles meant to check on the children’s health every 15 days hadn’t turned up in any school since June.
There’s more. Despite warnings, headmasters and teachers remained absent. Even on Independence Day.
In a detailed affidavit filed by Prem Meena, principal secretary to the state tribal development department, the government said that though the department had adequate funds, the implementation of programmes was poor. Meena blamed the “black sheep” in the department and said the state was determined to take action against those responsible for the skullduggery. The Central Bureau of Investigation on September 10 filed a charge-sheet in the case investigated by it.
“They (the state officials) were gracious enough to accept all my allegations. I was there with the team that inspected the schools on August 15. The conditions were appalling,” said Geeta Mulekar, amicus curie (friend of the court).
The state has suspended all the offending officers and filed criminal complaints against some. It has also sent show cause notices to their superiors asking why action should not be taken against them for failing to implement government rules and regulations.
Referring to the absent teachers, Meena admitted that it was “shocking” that they had not learnt from their mistakes and mended their ways.
A division bench, comprising chief justice Swatanter Kumar and justice AM Khanwilkar, is hearing the petition suo motu on a letter written by Suresh Shinde, who had cited a news article about the death of five children who were not provided medical care and were instead handed over to their adivasi parents.
“What steps are you taking to ensure that these things don’t happen again?” asked the chief justice. The court has asked the state to work out a new scheme that will streamline the entire administration relating to tribal development.
The court has also ordered SS Dhole, superintendent of Murbad Ashram, to pay Rs 25,000 from her own pocket to Pramila Rajaram, an eighth standard student who sustained burn injuries on her face and body while cooking for Dhole’s family. Students are not supposed to do the personal work of teachers.
Chargesheet
* Scheme of kanyadan, gold and household articles given to tribal couples stopped after gold was found to be sub-standard.
*Out of 81 projects, only 12 projects in the Thakkar Bappa scheme have been completed.
* Project officers inflated bills for purchasing sanitary napkins; bogus contracts given for anti-termite treatment to ashram schools
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