toi news- The ashram schools across Maharashtra remain in limelight for various controversies, especially for the financial irregularities and mismanagement. Aggrieved over the plight of these schools and children from poor strata of the society pursuing education there, a social worker has moved the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court demanding a high level judicial probe into its affairs.
A division bench comprising justices Sharad Bobde and MN Gilani issued notices to all the respondents including the tribal minister, tribal department's secretary and his deputy, before listing the petition after vacations. Tribal development commissioners of Nashik, Amravati and Nagpur (additional charge), Shri Swami Samarth Shikshan Prasarak Mandal of Yavatmal and Dandkaranya Shaikshanik Va Sanskrutik Vikas Sanshodhan Sanstha in Gadchiroli were among the respondents. Shrikant Khandalkar was counsel for petitioner Umesh Choube.
The petitioner brought to the notice of the court about alleged illegalities committed by tribal minister, his department's secretary and deputy secretary (Kailash Bhandalkar, who is party by name) while granting permission to the private managements to run the ashram schools. He claimed that the permissions are against earlier directions of the court in many PILs.
Citing a HC order (In case No.308/2003) of October 13 last year, Chaube stated that the tribal departments' principal secretary had been specifically asked to file an affidavit giving details of action taken against ashram school managements. After this, the ex-principal secretary Uttam Khobragade directed the officials to file police complaints against such schools if irregularities were found. About 61 such schools were issued show-cause notices after this.
The veteran social activist further pointed out that the respondent minister and his secretaries were blindly granting permission to the private parties to run ashram schools in blatant violations of court's directives. He contended that private managements have been exploiting the tribal students and misusing government funds.
The petitioner claims that there are 29 schools in Vidarbha, run by the private parties after respondents allowed them. Deliberating on the pathetic conditions of such schools, he added that the students are packed in cramped rooms without proper security and even toilets are not available for girls. Grants from government are taken for non-existent students and no medical aids were made available due to which 75 students had died in three years. Not just students but teaching and non-teaching staff are also exploited.
Chaube demanded directions to the respondents to furnish all documents regarding permissions given to private parties to run such schools on permanent/temporary basis and cancel them if found violating the court orders.
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