School building collapsed in Pulwama’s Wakharwan village, teachers suspended

They never informed us about condition of building: CEO

Pulwama: The School Education Department has suspended teaching staff of a Primary School at Wakharwan village here after the building which was in dilapidated condition suffered severe damage in the snowfall last month.

The students of the schools are now forced to walk miles to attended classes at a school in neighboring Renzipora village.

An official said all the three teachers of the school were suspended for “poor management” and maintaining silence over the dilapidated condition of the building.

An official said after the three-room building got damaged, it was declared unsafe, forcing its closure.

Subsequently, the authorities decide to shift the students to the school in nearby village till the government decides on repairing the structure or constructing a new building.

The roof of the school building has collapsed while the doors and windows too have suffered damaged. There are cracks visible in the walls of the building.

A local said the department sent a team of officials to inspect the building after they were informed about the damage. The inspection was followed by suspension of the teachers.

Chief Education Officer (CEO), Pulwama, Gulzar Ahmad said the teachers were suspended because they never informed the department about the condition of the school.

“It is unsafe to continue classes there. Its land has been encroached upon,” he said.

Ahmad, however, said the department would soon take decision on construction of a new building, and would retrieve the encroached land also. (GK)