120 slum school children displaced in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Alleging that over 120 children of a slum school have been displaced without notice, the school staff along with parents and the kids approached SHRC on Tuesday.

Alpha slum children’s school is being run on Road No 22 of Jubilee Hills in a makeshift arrangement for over 14 years. It was demolished on June 27. Around six teachers conducted classes from LKG to class four children in this school and it is free of cost.

“Two months back an officer came to the school and told us to vacate the place and forcibly took signatures on papers and left,” said Ms Shobha Rani who runs the school. Although, the MEO and DEO have approached them saying they will shift the kids to a government school in Borabanda, located 3 kms away, the parents and teachers of the school say it is not feasible.

“Most of us are domestic labourers and as this school is near the house, we don’t need to drop or pick up the children. If we change the school, it will become a problem and expenses too will increase,” said D. Pushpa, parent of a girl studying in class III.

Ms Shobha Rani clarified that the government authorities have never objected nor had given any notices for the last 14 years against the school.

SHRC Member (Non-Judicial) Kakumanu Peda Peri Reddy said, “This is displacement of innocent kids without notice. The slum school is seeking an alternative site not far from the one that was demolished. The commission has issued directives to district collector, Hyderabad and DEO, Hyderabad to initiate action and submit a report before July 13.”

Petitioners also alleged that they suspect “This is being done after AP CM, Mr Chandrababu Naidu came to this area as resident, for security reasons.”