SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued a notice to the state government and concerned departments regarding the delay in opening the newly constructed building of the Senior Secondary School Deori in the Drang assembly constituency of Mandi district.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chander Negi took note of the matter on Wednesday. The bench questioned the government as to why students are being accommodated in alternative premises when the new school building is fully ready for occupancy.
The high court has directed the state government to file its reply within a week, ahead of the next hearing scheduled for July 22. The orders were passed during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a local resident, Kunj Lal.
During the proceedings, the senior advocate representing the petitioner informed the court that Education Minister Rohit Thakur was scheduled to inaugurate the new building. The inauguration was officially planned, the minister’s tour program included the event, and the school management had even printed posters and invitation cards. However, the inauguration plaque was later removed. The department offered no explanation when questioned about the sudden cancellation.
The original building of the Deori school was damaged during the natural disaster in 2023. Following the damage, Congress national leader Priyanka Gandhi visited the area and promised that the school building would be reconstructed quickly.
The state government subsequently fast-tracked the construction on a priority basis and completed the building. While the education minister was recently scheduled to inaugurate the Deori school building alongside several other projects, the inauguration was stopped at the last moment. The delay has triggered resentment among local residents, who are questioning why the ready building is not being put to use.
