A Delhi government school literally hit the ‘wall’ of controversy, after it decided to go ahead with the construction of a wall — even though it was illegal.

Now, a city court has directed the school — Government Senior Secondary School, Gautampuri — to pull down the illegal construction and slapped an exemplary cost of Rs 5,000 on the school.

Reminding the school that the money wasted in construction and demolition of the wall belonged to the public, Commercial Civil Judge (CCJ) Pulastya Pramachala also directed a departmental inquiry be held find the officer responsible.

CCJ Pramachala was hearing a petition filed by the residents of the houses neighbouring the school.

According to the residents, who had been living in the area since 1987, they had opposed the construction as it was in violation of the approved site plan, which stated that a gap of three metres should be there between the wall and their houses. Additionally, the wall would also restrict them from opening their doors, windows and ventilators and flout their easement rights to get sunlight and air, they contended.

Their appeal to the school authorities, however, yielded no result and in 2000, many trees were pruned and a concreted lane was uprooted for the construction of the wall.

Looking for reprieve, the residents subsequently moved the court and named the Delhi government, Directorate of Education (DoE), the school and the PWD executive engineer parties in the litigation.

On perusal of records, CCJ Pramachala found that as many as five officers from different government departments had submitted affidavits that were similar. “These affidavits seem to be filed in a mechanical and routine manner,” the judge said, holding these witnesses could not be relied upon.

... contd.