Residents against school in park

The residents of Phase 3-A here are up in arms against the plan of the Punjab Department of School Education to open a new government school in the area.

The residents of Phase 3-A here are up in arms against the plan of the Punjab Department of School Education to open a new government school in the area. The site,measuring less than an acre,was earlier earmarked in the green belt developed as Freedom Fighters Park,which the residents use for recreation and extra-curricular activities.

Taking note of the protest,Mohali Deputy Commissioner Prabhjot Singh Mand,on the report of SDM Raghbeer Kaur Khaira and Punjab Chief Ministers Advisor Dr Daljit Singh Cheema,had earlier recommended shifting the proposed school site to some other area but the Education department seems adamant on constructing the school at the same site.

However,District Education Officer (Elementary Education) Amrit Kaur along with her team reached the site to demarcate land and begin work for the school on Thursday. The irked residents,led by area councillor and Mohali Municipal Council senior vice-president Harman Preet Singh Prince,gathered at the site and held a massive protest,forcing the DEO and her team to leave without executing their work.

When residents dont want the school,why is the department so adamant to open it? questioned Prince,while asserting that they will soon meet the Chief Minister to ask the departments Director General to shift the plan to some area where the school is needed.

Residents Welfare Association general secretary Balwinder Singh Multani said: We will go to any extent to save our park,which is the only green belt in the area.

Deputy Commissioner Mand said that as was desired by the department,he had sent the necessary report endorsing the residents opinion but now it is up to the department to decide. However,Director General of the Education department Krishan Kumar and the DEO remained unavailable for comments despite repeated attempts.

In her report to the DC,the SDM had endorsed the views of the area residents that since there were already three government schools in close proximity to Phase 3-A and the site earmarked for the new school was that of a green park surrounded by houses,the opening of new school at that site will not serve any purpose. Besides other objections,the SDM had pointed out that a 10-feet road leads to the proposed school site,which could not cope with the heavy traffic.

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