Uttarakhand High Court.(File Photo) Uttarakhand High Court.(File Photo)

Holding the Uttarakhand government responsible for “falling standards of education” and for “miserably failing to provide bare minimum facilities” in government schools, the Uttarakhand High Court Thursday “restrained” the state government from purchasing luxury items.

“Since the state government has miserably failed to provide bare minimum facilities in schools inter alia benches, desks, blackboards, hygienic separate toilets for boys and girls, water purifiers and ceiling fans, the state government is restrained from buying luxurious cars, furniture and air conditioners till further orders,” the court said.

On November 19 last year, the High Court, responding to a public interest litigation filed by one Deepak Rana, had asked the state government to provide necessary amenities in all government schools across the state.

According to the state’s education department, the government runs 12,533 primary schools, 2,809 upper primary schools and 2,203 secondary schools. It also aids four primary schools, 184 upper primary schools and 301 secondary schools. However, basic amenities such as tables and chairs are missing in many of these schools.

The High Court had last year asked the state government to provide benches, desks, school uniform, mid-day meals, computers, blackboards and a library in all government schools across the state, apart from constructing hygienic toilets separately for boys and girls.

On Thursday, the Division Bench of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Alok Singh said, “Till date, the judgment has not been implemented. It reflects a very sorry state of affairs.”

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