Cuttack: Taking serious note of deaths and injuries of schoolchildren caused by collapsing structures on govt school campuses, the Orissa high court has directed the state authorities to strictly implement school safety measures and report the action taken to the court.A division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Chittaranjan Dash passed the direction while hearing a PIL filed by human rights activist and advocate Prabir Kumar Das. The copy of the Aug 13 order was uploaded online on Aug 17.The PIL drew the court’s attention to a series of incidents in which children were killed or seriously injured after concrete plaques, signboards and walls collapsed on school premises. Highlighting the need for preventive measures, the bench said the safety of schoolchildren could not be ensured merely by paying compensation after tragedies. “Though the govt has awarded compensation but it would not give solace to a bereaved family who lost the child,” the court observed.The bench stated that children, being a homogeneous class, must be imparted education within the safety net. It also emphasised the need for periodic structural stability audits of govt schools, colleges and universities, along with timely intervention instead of an “apathetic approach”.During the hearing, the state informed the court about instructions issued by the State Project Director, Odisha School Education Programme Authority, to all collectors on Aug 1, 2026 for ensuring school safety activities and conducting safety audits within their respective jurisdictions.The bench took the Aug 1 communication on record and directed the authorities to “act strictly in terms thereof”. It asked the state to file a report detailing steps taken under the Indicative Guideline on School Safety on the next date of hearing.The matter will be heard next on Sept 3.The PIL cited the death of Class III student Premanand Bhatara at Gandhinagar residential school in Koraput on Dec 17, 2025, after a concrete plaque collapsed. Another student, Shiba Bhatara, suffered critical injuries. Two days later, Class I student Abhir Lohar died at Badabhundu Upgraded High School in Mayurbhanj when a concrete plaque signboard collapsed while students were playing.In another case, Class IV student Idanti Raita and Class V student Beckles Raita died on April 15 last year after a wall at the main gate of Rubudising Government Primary School in Gajapati collapsed.The petitioner has sought formation of an expert task force to frame guidelines covering dilapidated structures, walls, roofs, gates, concrete plaques, signboards and construction activities on school premises.
