NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION, INDIA
appeared before the Commission. He stated that necessary budget had been sanctioned
for construction of a bridge over river Rupen passing through village Kaneri to enable the
school going children as well as villagers for their convenience. He gave an undertaking
that the bridge would be constructed by October, 2018.
iv.
Under Secretary (P.R.)2, Roads & Building Department, Govt. of Gujarat also informed that
the bridge of Kaneri Village taluka-Gir Gadhda, District Somnath had been completed and
sim para of Kaneri Village Bokherpara has been connected with all weather road.
v.
In view of appropriate action taken by the District Administration for construction of
bridge across the river, the Commission closed the matter.
33. Death of three children due to drowning in a pond while going to wash their utensil after
taking mid-day meal in a Primary School at Village Dudha under PS Jaso, Satna, Madhya
Pradesh
(Case No. 2756/12/38/2014)
72
i.
The Commission received a complaint from Shri R.H. Bansal, Director, Centre for Human
Rights, New Delhi alleging the death of three children due to drowning in a pond while
they were going to wash their utensil after mid-day meal in a Primary School at Village
Dudha under PS, Jaso, Satna, Madhya Pradesh.
ii.
Pursuant to the directions of the Commission, the Supdt. of Police, Satna submitted a
report stating that FIR was registered on the death of three deceased children namely
Ashwini Kumar Kushwah S/o Tondu Lal, Kumari Shivani Kushwah D/o Sudama Kushwah
and Ravi Kushwah S/o Kamlesh On investigation this fact was confirmed that above
named children died because of drowning after mid day meal in school. The Cooks of the
School, Smt. Krishna Devi w/o Shiv Prasad Vishwakarma and Smt. Gulab Bai w/o Sona Lal
Yadav were booked in crime No. 10/15 u/s 304 (A) IPC and a charge sheet No. 40/15 had
been submitted before the Judicial Magistrate and the matter is sub judice.
iii.
The Commission considered the matter on 08.03.2018 and observed that it is clear from
the report that the school administration (Head Master) was basically responsible for not
taking care about the food served at the mid day meal, and thereafter about cleaning
of utensils by the students of the school at the pond. It was the duty of the school
administration to see that the utensils were properly cleaned after the meal is taken by
the students, within the premises of the school. They forced the students to wash the
utensils themselves by going at the pond. Had the Head Master of the school and other
persons responsible for serving the mid day meal have not allowed the children to go
out of the school to wash the utensils, the three precious lives might not have been lost.
The school administration is responsible for the violation of human rights of deceased
Ashwani Kushawa, Ravi Kushawa and Km. Shivani Kushawaha.
iv.
The Commission, therefore, issued a notice u/s 18 (a) (i) of PHR Act, 1993 be issued to the
Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh to show cause as to why the Commission
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19