SANAND GIDC ESTATE PLAN CLOUDS SCHOOL’S FUTURE

DI L I P PATEL
Students of the district panchayat-
run primary school
at North Kotpura face an uncertain
future due to Gujarat
Industrial Development Corporation’s
(GIDC) decision to acquire
5,000 acres of land in Sanand and
shift the entire village to make way
for an industrial estate.
The school, where 65 students
studied eight months ago, is now
left with only 22 of them as children
of agricultural university
staff have shifted. The school
lacks basic facility like drinking
water and school teachers as well
as students bring their supply
from home. For the students, who
want to continue their study, the
nearest school is about 5 km away.
“I want to study. I know the
poor conditions in which my
family lives can improve only if I
study. But I don’t know what will
happen now,” said Kanku Rathod,
a class VI student of the school.
There are many like Kanku who
are distressed due to the prevailing
uncertainty.
The ground where children
once played has become a hot bed
of discussion where students
share their anxiety. Not only the
students’ but the future of 40 families
living here is also uncertain
as there is no rehabilitation plan
ready for them.
“We shudder to think what will
happen after six months. Our
families are caught in a dilemma
as there is no rehabilitation plan
ready,” she added.
There are only three teachers in
the school. Hiral Soni, one of the
teachers, said, “All these students
want to study. But they do not
know where they and their families
will be six months from now.
Their future looks bleak.” District
panchayat education officer SP
Chaudhary said, “The school has
to be shifted. We are preparing a
report on the school to present
before the education committee.
The panel will take the final decision.
We are aware of the fact that
there are 22 students and three
teachers in the school.” If the
families decide to stay there, then
district panchayat will have to
think about their accommodation,
he said.
Chandu Thakor, a resident of
North Kotpura whose son is in the
school, said, “We feel as if we have
been uprooted from our land.
Neither we nor our kids seem to
have a future.” Mukesh Vaghela,
a social leader, said, “We have met
the mamlatdar and have made a
representation to him to allow
these people to stay here and to
continue with the school.”

PLEA CHALLENGING LAND
ACQUISITION FOR NANO
PROJECT TURNED DOWN
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court dismissed
a plea challenging the
land acquisition by state government
for Nano car project. The
apex court questioned the locus
standi of an NGO and its head in
opposing the project which was
aimed at producing the cheapest
four-wheeler.