Margao – Misplaced Priorities and Obsession for Events of the BJP Government has resulted in 92 School Buildings causing Risk to the Safety of Students and 663 out of 1315 Schools functioning without Structural & Safety Audits. The Rents of various Schools amounting to 8.06 crores are not paid for last many years due to Bankruptcy of the Government. 20 Schools and One Higher Secondary are in Dilapidated Condition, charged Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao.
Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant who also holds the Education Portfolio should focus on Maintaining & Building “Temples of Education” rather than spending Public Funds on creating Monuments and organizing Events. The Rents of various Schools & Colleges including International Sadguru Gurukulum Middle School Kundai, Goa College of Theatre Arts and Swami Brahmanand Mahavidalaya are not paid due to “Shortage of Funds”, stated Yuri Alemao.
The data provided to my Legislative Assembly questions reveal that the repair works undertaken just three years back by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation & Public Works Department of some Schools have turned out to be of poor quality. This has come to light from the findings of Structural Audit Reports of the said Schools which have recommended Fresh Structural Repairs of the same buildings, claimed Yuri Alemao.
Most of the Structural Audit & Safety Reports of various Schools have pointed that Schools are without Compound Walls, Roof of the Schools need urgent repairs, No proper Fire Safety Equipments installed in the Schools and non-availability of basic amenities like Toilets & Washrooms. It is shocking that the Government has not acted to shift the Electricity Line which is very close to the Roofing of one of the Schools, despite the Safety Audit Report recommending the same, stated Yuri Alemao.
Government has not done Structural & Safety Audits of three Special Schools in Salcete, three in Quepem and one in Bicholim till date. This shows the Government’s apathy towards Persons with Disabilities, pointed Yuri Alemao.
I demand that the Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant should prepare an Action Plan to undertake Repairs and Renovations of all the Schools in time bound manner and also conduct Structural & Safety Audits of the remaining 663 Schools immediately, demanded Yuri Alemao.
