The Delhi High Court, today, Tuesday, April 23, voiced its displeasure over non-supply of textbooks and other study material to students of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) run schools, saying it was "not a happy situation".
This happened while a bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohann was hearing a PIL highlighting the non-supply of study material to students, PTI reported.
The bench asked the civic body commissioner to visit the schools and monitor their functioning.
"We leave it to you. If you feel you are satisfied with the work that you are doing, if you feel happy with the content of work that has been done by your staff, we can only say good luck to you. If you don't want to take action against your negligent officers, even better luck to you. We have brought it to your notice. We don't think it is a scorecard to be proud of. It doesn't cover MCD with any glory. It is not a happy situation," the bench said.
MCD commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, who was present virtually during the hearing, informed the court that apart from textbooks, which are provided by the Delhi government, cash reimbursements are made to students for other statutory benefits like uniforms and stationery through bank account transfer.
He added that around two lakh students do not have a bank account and efforts for opening the same are underway on a "war-footing".
The MCD commissioner told the court that he has visited such schools and attributed the delay in supplying books to non-formation of a standing committee empowered to award contracts worth more than Rs 5 crore.
The court said there cannot be a vacuum in the absence of a standing committee, and in such a situation, the Delhi government should delegate forthwith the financial power to another appropriate authority, PTI added.
"Let needful be done in two working days," the court ordered.
Advocate Ashok Agarwal, appearing for petitioner NGO Social Jurist, argued that no books or stationery have been made available to the seven lakh students studying in MCD schools, one of which was functioning from a tin shed, with the result that children were sitting idle.
The MCD commissioner claimed the process of supplying textbooks was going on and would be completed soon.
"(Children) are promoted to new classes. They are going to a new class without any books, uniforms. They will start studying only after (summer) vacations. Do you realise the consequences of all this?" the court said.
The court also asked the authorities to ensure adequate drinking water and washrooms in the schools.
It asked the Delhi government to file an action taken report and listed the matter for further hearing on May 7.
