NHRC takes suo motu cognisance of students risking lives to cross Betwa River in MP's Vidisha, seeks report from state govt
New Delhi, August 7
The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report about school students are risking their lives by hopping across check dam pillars to cross the Betwa River in order to reach school in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha district.
The Commission has issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
According to the NHRC, students from Kakraua village reportedly use the dangerous route because it reduces the travel distance from 13 kilometres by road to just 1.5 kilometres. As per reports, nine students, including five girls, cross the river in this manner every day.
The commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if it is true, raise serious concerns regarding the violation of human rights. It noted that Article 21A of the Constitution of India guarantees free and compulsory education to be provided by the state to children aged 6 to 14 years. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 also makes education a right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 years.
It found the lack of a safe mode of transport for children to reach school amounts to a negation of their fundamental right to education with dignity. Accordingly, the commission issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
According to the media report, carried on August 4, a video of the students hopping perilously across the wide gaps in the exposed check dam pillars has gone viral on social media. The villagers reportedly express their inability to drop their children off at a faraway school as they have to work in the fields. The option they have is to either stop sending them or continue this way.
Reportedly, a student failed her final exams after missing school because she could not cross the pillars due to her short height. The District Education Officer has visited the spot and informed the District Collector about the issue. However, a timeline for the construction of a safe passage to cross the river has not been mentioned.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is the reality of rural India that we often ignore. While we debate about smart cities and digital India, our children are crossing rivers on check dam pillars. The girl who failed because she couldn't cross due to her height - that's a failure of the system, not hers. Education is a fundamental right, but this is no way to treat our future generation. Shame on the local administration.
Common solution would be to build a small bridge, but who will fund it? The villagers can't afford to send their kids 13 km away. This is where the government needs to step in with proper infrastructure. Also, why isn't there a school closer to the village? Basic amenities shouldn't require such dangerous commutes. Article 21A is being violated here, and the NHRC notice is just the beginning. Let's see if the Madhya Pradesh government takes this seriously or just files a token report.
These children are more determined than most of us. They risk their lives every day because they value education. The parents must be so worried every morning when their kids leave for school. It's sad that even in 2024, we have such basic infrastructure gaps. Kudos to the NHRC for taking suo motu cognisance. But we need quick action, not just reports and notices. A temporary bridge or boat can be arranged immediately while a permanent solution is being built.
This highlights the disconnect between policy and ground reality. The Right to Education Act exists on paper, but without safe access to schools, it's meaningless. The distance comparison is alarming - 13 km versus 1.5 km is a significant difference for daily commuters, especially for young children. The NHRC should also investigate if there are other villages facing similar challenges. This might be just the tip of the iceberg.
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