NHRC notice to Maharashtra Govt over deaths of tribal students

NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC) has issued a notice to the Maharashtra government over the deaths of 740 tribal children in residential schools in the state.

NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of ET report (dated April 18, 2016) that 882 deaths had been reported in state-run residential schools across the country, with four-fifths being reported from Maharashtra alone. ET had conducted an RTIbased investigation which revealed that 684 children had died in Maharashtra alone.

As per the ET report, in Maharashtra, 740 students of the residential schools in tribal areas have died in last 10 years. The figures are based on an internal report of the State Tribal Development Department. The commission observed the contents of the news report are shocking and painful.

“The negligence on the part of the department of tribal development and school authorities is a violation of Right to Life, Dignity and Equality of the students,” NHRC has observed.

Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Maharashtra government through its chief secretary calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks.