Pune: HA School Faces Power Crisis For 21 Days, Putting Education Of Thousands Of Students At Risk
Pimpri, 21st June 2023: HA School, a renowned educational institution in the Hindustan Antibiotics Company (HA) Kamgar Colony, has been without electricity for 21 days. Despite instructions from local officials, including the MLA, MP, Education Minister, Chief Minister’s Office, and Deputy Chief Minister’s Office, the HA Company has failed to restore power supply to the school. As the school celebrates its diamond jubilee year, it now faces the imminent threat of closure.
The HA School, a part of the Deccan Education Society, holds great significance for the city of Pimpri-Chinchwad, as numerous notable personalities, including mayors, MLAs, corporators, and artists, have graduated from this esteemed institution. However, in recent years, due to the company’s financial troubles, several premises have been rented out to generate income. Portions of the area surrounding the school have been leased to private organizations, leading to complications. During the pandemic, the company attempted to transfer school management to private entities, disregarding the school’s 98-year contract. However, this plan was thwarted by the school administration.
In response to the power crisis, the school’s teachers have appealed to former students and parents to help raise funds for its restoration. However, there are individuals who appear to be deliberately agitating for the school’s closure, causing further distress. A dispute between the company management and the Deccan Education Society is currently underway in the High Court, while shopkeepers in the colony premises are engaged in a legal battle with the company in the Supreme Court.
The interruption of the power supply to HA School is a violation of the Right to Education Act, which protects the academic rights of students. Despite classes resuming on Thursday, approximately three thousand students are forced to study in darkness due to the prolonged power outage.
The school management accuses the company of orchestrating this scheme to transfer control of the institution. They assert that the power supply disruption is a deliberate tactic employed for this purpose. The company, on the other hand, claims that the power outage resulted from the theft of electrical wires. A complaint has been lodged with Maharashtra State Electricity Supply Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) and the police, and the company management has assured that repairs will be made promptly.
Located on the Old Pune-Mumbai highway, the Hindustan Antibiotics Company is divided by the road, with the employee colony on one side and the company on the other. HA School, under the patronage of the Deccan Education Society, has been operating since 1966, with a lease agreement in place for 98 years. However, the government released a tender to transfer school management on January 21, 2021, disregarding the prescribed rules. Consequently, the school management has filed a lawsuit in response. Moreover, on September 20, 2022, the company issued an eviction notice, escalating the conflict between the company and the school management. The school has filed a complaint with the police in this regard.
HA Worker’s Colony and the premises of HA School have been enduring a power cut since May 28. The outage was triggered by the theft of electric wires, resulting in a burnt distribution panel (DP). Although electricity was restored on May 31, the school premises remain devoid of power. This situation has severely impacted academic activities.
Students at HA School are facing numerous challenges due to the absence of electricity. Classrooms and toilets lack lighting, fans, and air conditioning systems have ceased to function, and the water purification system is inactive. School activities, instructions, and administrative tasks have come to a halt.
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