NHRC notice to Delhi govt over children struggling to reach school by crossing Yamuna

The NHRC has issued a notice to the Delhi government over reports that some children have to cross the Yamuna river by boat everyday to attend a school, putting their lives to immense danger, officials said on Friday.

Reportedly, if the boat is not available on a particular day, the students have to walk additional about 2 km on a "non-motorable road" to reach the school, the rights panel said in a statement.

"The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that Chilla Khadar village in Delhi does not have a school due to which the children have to cross the Yamuna river by boat everyday putting their lives to immense danger to attend a school," it said.

It is not easy especially for girl students, as they have to walk an hour to reach the school after riding a boat, the statement said.

The commission has issued a notice to the chief secretary of Delhi calling for a detailed report within four weeks, officials said.

The report must include details of the government schools functional in the area mentioned in the news reports, it said.

The NHRC has observed that the content of the news report, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights.

"It is indeed surprising that in the national capital, everyday young students are coming across such a nightmare just to attend school for education, which is their fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21A of the Constitution," it said.

"The statistics projected by the government of Delhi indicate that the standard of education and infrastructure has been remarkably improved but such news reports do 'tell a different story'," the statement said.

According to the media report, to implement and respect the Right to Education Act in true sense, the primary school children should not be studying in schools more than a kilometre away while the distance is 3 km for students of upper primary level i.e. 6th to 8th standard, it said.

Reportedly, an officer of the education department of the Delhi government has said that they are not sure, if there is a school within the 3 km radius of the area. It is also mentioned in the news report that sometimes, the boat topples then it takes more time for the students to reach their school, the rights panel said.