Haryana Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana on Friday ordered the Education Department to initiate cancellation of recognition for a private school that prevented a Class 5 student from appearing in her examination because of unpaid fees. The directive came during a District Public Grievances Committee meeting at the RKSD College auditorium in Kaithal.
Complaint by widow mother
The complaint was filed by Poonam Devi, a widow from Guliyana village. She alleged that a private school in Kakaut barred her daughter from taking the Class V examination due to the family's financial hardship. The school also expelled the student and refused to issue a School Leaving Certificate (SLC) unless Rs 30,000 in outstanding fees was paid.
Education Department officials informed the committee that the girl had since been admitted to another school. However, Minister Rana took a serious view of the matter and directed the department to recommend cancellation of the school's recognition to the competent authorities.
Minister's strong stance
“Obstructing a girl's education is completely against the spirit of the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign. Such actions will not be tolerated under any circumstances," the minister said. He emphasized that denying a child education over financial constraints is unacceptable.
Other grievances addressed
During the meeting, the minister listened to 12 complaints. Six were resolved on the spot, while six were deferred to the next meeting. He also directed constitution of inquiry committees in three cases, with reports to be submitted at the next meeting.
In another case, Rana ordered officials of the Power Corporation to remove illegal tubewell electricity connections from plots of Indira Gandhi Gramin Awas Yojana in Theh Barela village within one month. A joint committee comprising the Additional Deputy Commissioner, HSVP Executive Officer, and a non-official member was formed to investigate a complaint about delay in issuing a possession offer letter for a residential plot despite full payment.
Regarding alleged irregularities in ration distribution by a depot holder, the minister ordered a fresh inquiry under the chairmanship of the SDM, Kalayat. Another joint committee was set up to probe a long-pending complaint about sewer water entering a residential house in Mahadev Colony, causing structural damage.
Karnal meeting
A similar meeting was held at Panchayat Bhawan in Karnal, where Minister Rana resolved seven out of 12 public grievances. The remaining five were referred for fresh investigation by senior officials. In one case, Rana directed a fresh inquiry into alleged violation of mining norms in Gondar village and instructed the SDM, Nilokheri, to investigate a complaint seeking relocation of a liquor vend near a yoga ashram in Karsa Dod village.
Additionally, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board informed the minister that a show-cause notice had been issued to a company after complaints that vibrations from its machinery caused cracks in a nearby house and led to air and water pollution.
