By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Dehradun: Congress on Thursday asked the Uttarakhand government not to demolish a government primary school and other public facilities at Chandra Road area near Rispana river in Dehradun without proper verification.
A Congress delegation led by former state Congress President Pritam Singh met Dehradun District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan and objected to the demolition of the government primary school, which has allegedly been identified as an illegal encroachment under the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as these structures are falling under floodplains of Rispana.
The party also opposed the proposed action against a community marriage hall, public toilets, and other public-use structures. The delegation demanded that the administration stop the demolition process immediately and conduct a fresh inspection of the site to assess the actual situation impartially.
The Congress leaders also submitted a memorandum to the DM and further stated that no action should be taken against the school until the verification process is completed.
The delegation expressed concern that demolition of the school would seriously affect the education and future of more than 300 children currently studying there. It said that if the school building is removed, the students’ education would be disrupted and many children could face difficulties in continuing their studies.
Emphasising that children’s interests should be given top priority, the delegation urged the administration to protect the school and safeguard the students’ right to education. Representatives of both schools concerned also reportedly registered strong opposition to the proposed action.
Speaking on the occasion, former MLA Rajkumar said that the school, marriage hall and other public facilities are important for local residents. If there is any dispute, a fair inquiry and fresh survey should be conducted before taking any decision, he said, adding that the Congress would continue to fight at every level to protect public interest.
Former city president Lalchand Sharma also urged the administration to avoid ex parte action. He said decisions should be taken only after hearing local residents and examining the actual facts, so that children’s education and public amenities are not adversely affected.