Kochi : Kerala state human rights commission (SHRC) directed the general education department secretary to urgently intervene and take an appropriate decision on the demand to allot 48.8 sq m of land belonging to Kalampoor Govt UP School as an access road for Scheduled Caste families living at Pallikoodam Mala in ward 21 of Piravom municipality.
Piravom municipality had also submitted a request to the general education department on July 21, seeking permission to use the school land as a public pathway.
The municipality said further action could be taken only after receiving govt approval. However, complainant Gopinathan said govt approval was necessary to ensure access without affecting the school’s functioning. The commission observed that the education department hadn’t challenged the orders issued by the two commissions in court and directed govt to decide on the municipality’s request without delay. The families are presently walking along an unusable stretch of land behind the school. Following the district collector’s directive, municipal officials had inspected the site and measured an 8ft-wide stretch.