National Times Bureau :- The Punjab and Haryana High Court came down heavily over Chandigarh administration over its ‘lack of empathy and sensitivity’ in the 2022 school tree collapse tragedy.
The court has also ordered the UT administration to pay a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family of a girl who died in the tragedy and Rs 50,000 to a child who lost a limb. The court highlighted that this compensation is in addition to the amounts already dispursed to the victims’ families.
A bench comprising Justice Kuldeep Tiwari has directed Chandigarh education department to ensure that every school either permits students to have their meals in classrooms or facilitate a proper safe and hygiene dining space.
In July 2022, a 250-year-old peepal tree fell on a group of students while they were having lunch at Carmel Convent School. A class 10 girl was killed and 14 were injured.
The death of the child was an irreplaceable loss to the family, HC said in its recent order. “She could have brought laurels and acclaim to her parents, but this tragic incident shattered their aspirations and dreams.
Regarding the girl who lost a limb, Justice Tiwari observed that at the age of 15, she suffered the amputation of her left arm and had to undergo multiple medical interventions and surgeries. She endured significant trauma and disability, adversely affecting her ability to perform daily activities.
“Although she has joined school, she faces limitations in participating fully in activities such as sports, dancing, writing, and drawing. She requires constant assistance in her routine tasks,” the order says, noting that the in incident also “limited her future career opportunities and may impact her prospects for marriage”.
