HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH **** CWP No.6473 of 2011 (O&M) Date of Decision: 20.10.2011 **** Gram Panchayat Kallu Sohal . . . . Petitioner VS. State of Punjab & Ors. . . . . Respondents **** CORAM : HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE SURYA KANT **** 1. Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? **** Present: Mr. HS Batth, Advocate for the petitioner Ms. Sudeepti Sharma, DAG Punjab Mr. Shekhar Verma, Advocate for Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan **** SURYA KANT J. (ORAL) (1). The petitioner-Gram Panchayat is aggrieved by the order dated 12.01.2011 passed by respondent No.2 whereby the earlier decision upgrading the Government Elementary School, Kallu Sohal, Tehsil and District Gurdaspur, has been rescinded and instead the Government Elementary School in Village Fulrha, Tehsil and District Gurdaspur has been decided to be upgraded from the academic session 2011-12. (2). The petitioner-Gram Panchayat alleges that the above- stated decision has been taken at the instance of 5th cwp no.6473 of 2011.doc - 2 – respondent – the Ministerial-in-charge, for political reasons. (3). Respondents No.1,3&4 have filed their reply/affidavit explaining that a sum of Rs.9 lacs was earlier sanctioned under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan Project for construction of additional rooms/other infrastructure in Government Primary School at village Kallu Sohal but due to internal difference between members of the Gram Panchayat the sanctioned amount could not be transferred to the School and remained unutilized for more than one year. (4). It is further explained that another Government Primary School at village Chhina Retwala situated within 2 kms. radius of village Kallu Sohal has been successfully upgraded to upper primary level. Both the above- mentioned villages are situated within Dhariwal Block. It is maintained that Government Primary School in village Fulrha has been decided to be upgraded as there are 76 students in that school. It thus appears that due to internal bickerings of the members of the Gram Panchayat, the Grant-in-Aid sanctioned for upgradation of the Government Primary School of the petitioner-Gram Panchayat could not be utilized though two other Schools referred to above have been upgraded to cater the needs of the future generations. cwp no.6473 of 2011.doc - 3 – (5). Having heard learned counsel for the parties, I am of the considered view that instead of having multiple upgraded Schools which may then become defunct for want of adequate teaching staff, it would be expedient to provide transportation facilities to the children of the village of petitioner-Gram Panchayat to enable them to travel and pursue their studies in the upgraded School of village Chhina Retwala which is located hardly at a distance of two kilometers from their village. (6). The writ petition is accordingly disposed of with a direction to the Director, State Transport, Punjab Roadways, Chandigarh (though he is not party to these proceedings) to make an ad hoc arrangement, till some regular arrangement as per the prescribed procedure is made, to ply Punjab Roadways buses enroute from Village Kallu Sohal to Village Chhina Retwala, keeping the school timings in view and see that the school-going children of village Kallu Sohal do not face any difficulty or inconvenience in traveling to their school at Village Chhina Retwala. (7). The needful shall be done as early as possible but not later than four weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. cwp no.6473 of 2011.doc - 4 – (8). Let a dasti copy of this order be handed over to Ms. Sudeepti Sharma, DAG Punjab for information and necessary compliance. (9). Ordered accordingly. Dasti. 20.10.2011 vishal shonkar (S u r y a K a n t) Judge