Rajasthan Rights Panel Acts on Deadly School Collapse

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The Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission (RSHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance following the tragic roof collapse at a government school in Piplod village, Jhalawar district. The disaster claimed the lives of seven children and left over twenty others injured. In response, the Commission has called for accountability and a detailed report from local authorities. highlighting concerns about infrastructure conditions in public institutions.

The RSHRC, a statutory body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, issued notices to key officials, including the Jhalawar District Magistrate and District Education Officer. The panel demanded a full explanation of the incident, legal action against those responsible, and swift compensation for the victims’ families. Chairperson Justice G. R. Moolchandani emphasized that recurring monsoon damage to old school buildings must not be ignored, particularly when children’s lives are at risk.

The incident has drawn renewed attention to infrastructure problems in rural and semi-urban educational institutions. While monsoons are a known seasonal event, the failure to maintain and inspect school buildings before the rains highlights lapses in governance and planning. In this case, officials had not listed the school as vulnerable in prior safety assessments. prompting scrutiny of the accuracy and scope of recent safety audits

Local voices echoed public frustration. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje criticized the education department, urging an immediate statewide safety audit of government schools. “This is not merely about rainfall. It’s about negligence that has cost young lives,” she said, calling for clear accountability and better foresight in administrative planning.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has since directed all departments to inspect government buildings for structural integrity, especially in monsoon-prone areas. The incident has sparked discussion around the need for long-term reforms beyond temporary inspections.

The Jhalawar incident has renewed calls for stronger governance to prevent avoidable tragedies., The swift intervention by the Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission has rightly refocused attention on these responsibilities. ensuring that incidents like this do not become a recurring feature of bureaucratic failure.