CHENNAI: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Monday ordered a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to a 10-year-old boy, who allegedly lost vision after construction materials in the panchayat union elementary school in Madurai, where he studied, fell on his left eye.
In October 2017, the boy’s mother Ramya went to the Thirupparankundram Panchayat Union Elementary School, Ayanpappakudi, Madurai, where her son Kishore studied, upon receiving a call from the school management. When she found blood oozing out of his left eye, she questioned the headmistress, who told her that the boy fell down while playing. However, Kishore said that construction material had fallen into his eye while he was at school, Ramya said in her petition.
He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors said that there was no chance of her son regaining vision in the eye. In her counter-affidavit, school headmistress Dhanalakshmi stated that no construction work had been taking place in the school as alleged by Ramya.
After perusing the available documents, member D Jayachandran observed that the commission had no hesitation to hold that the boy had sustained injuries to his left eye due to negligence on the part of the headmistress for failing to ensure the safety of the students by permitting construction work during school hours. He also directed the District Elementary Educational Officer to initiate appropriate action against the headmistress.