Damaged school building in Kupwara poses threat to students

Kupwara, Nov 11: An abandoned and damaged building of the Upper Primary School (UPS) Gujjarnar in Kralgund area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district has become a serious threat to the lives of the students studying here.

Locals said that the school building was damaged in 2015 due to soil erosion, causing massive damage to the building.
They said that the building was abandoned since it got damaged.

“We have taken up the issue of dismantling this building with the concerned authorities many times but to no avail,” locals said.
They said that the school is grappling with a lack of accommodation and if a new building was provided to the school, the hardships being faced by the students could end.

“We don't know why the concerned authorities are reluctant to provide a new building to UPS Gujjarnar,” a local said.
He said that the school does not have much space for a playground and dismantling the building could enhance the space for students as a playfield.

"The building can collapse anytime. During rains, the chances increase manifold but still authorities are watching as mute spectators,” said a parent whose two children are enrolled in the school.
The locals have requested the Education Department officials to intervene and issue orders to dismantle the building so that any unpleasant incident could be avoided.