The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the state government to file an affidavit explaining if it has been complying with its own Government Resolution, which enlists steps to be taken for reducing the weight of school bags.
A division bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice MS Karnik were informed by advocate Nitesh Nevshe that since the resolution is passed, there has been no checks and balances. No school in the state has been penalised or even pulled up for not complying with the recommendations made in the resolution. He presented to the court information obtained under the Right to Information Act, which indicated complete non-compliance.
As per recommendations in the government resolution issued in 2015, schools have been directed to take various steps like using tablets, one textbook for allied subjects, provide lockers to keep books in schools, etc. The resolution was issued after a government-appointed committee noted the school bags were so heavy that 60 per cent of students below the age of 10 were suffering from orthopaedic and stress-induced ailments.
The arguments were made during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by activist Swati Patil claiming state government is not taking steps to reduce the weight of school bags. The petitioner relied on a report of WHO which claimed children suffered various orthopaedic and other ailments because of heavy school bags.
Nevshe said, “The resolution places the onus of implementation on schools and parents, but the state has not clarified the action it would take if it is not implemented by the schools. Or who in the government will be held accountable to oversee this implementation, because of which there is non-compliance.
2015 RESOLUTION
In a resolution in 2015, the govt asked schools to take various steps like use of tablets, single textbook for allied subjects, lockers to keep books, etc to help children carry less weight.
