BENGALURU: As BBMP continues its drive against encroachments, the Education Department is now in the process of checking if encroachments have cropped up on land belonging to government schools and colleges.
Minister for Primary and Secondary education Tanveer Sait issued directions to the Deputy Director of Public Instructions (DDPI) asking them to keep land documents of government schools and colleges ready.
Speaking to Express, Sait said, “I have given instructions to keep original papers of the school properties ready. If there is an encroachment of school or college land, it will be removed immediately.”
There are more than 47,417 government schools in the state. “I have taken this decision after receiving communication from authorities that school land has been encroached upon in some districts, including Bengaluru Urban and Rural,” he said.
The minister also sought a district-wise report on encroached land with names of encroachers. “Once the list is ready, we will proceed with the demolition drive,” he said.
Old school buildings to be razed
The department is also taking measures to demolish old school buildings. After new buildings came up under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scheme, some school campuses still have old buildings. “After the Belagavi incident where a classroom wall collapsed and two students were killed, I issued directions to demolish old school buildings,” Sait said.
Meanwhile, the department has released Rs 10 lakh for each MLA constituency for development of schools. The total amount for each constituency is Rs 40 lakh.