Parents Sue New Sunrise School for Rs 16.61 Crore Over Harni Lake Tragedy, ETEducation
Vadodara: Parents of 11 children who drowned during a boating excursion in Harni lake two years ago have filed a case against New Sunrise School, where the children were studying. The parents approached the Vadodara District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on Jan 17, seeking a total compensation of Rs 16.61 crore for the deceased children. The parent of one deceased child is yet to join the litigation.
Twelve schoolchildren and two teachers drowned after a boat capsized in Harni lake on Jan 18, 2024, during a school picnic. “Each parent has demanded compensation of Rs 1.51 crore from the school,” said advocate Hitesh Gupta, who is representing the parents before the consumer forum.
Each complainant has sought Rs 1 crore as compensation for the loss of their child, Rs 50 lakh for mental trauma, and Rs 1 lakh towards litigation costs, along with 18% interest from the date of the incident until actual payment.
The grieving parents have accused the school of deficiency in service and unfair trade practices. “The school organised the picnic and was responsible for the children’s safety. The complainants later learnt that the school management had organised the picnic illegally without obtaining prior permission from the district education officer (DEO),” Gupta told TOI.
“It was a case of criminal negligence. Due to the lack of safety measures, overcrowding of the boat, and the absence of trained supervisors and life-saving equipment, a catastrophic accident occurred. The school is responsible for this,” Gupta added. The complaint further states that the school did not issue receipts for the Rs 750 charged from each student for the picnic.
“The school collects annual fees along with picnic charges but failed to provide proper services, resulting in an irreparable loss to the families of the deceased children. The administration merely fined the school Rs 10,000 for its negligence,” Gupta said.
Following the drowning incident, parents had filed an FIR against Kotia Projects, the firm that was awarded the contract for the Harni Lake zone. Police arrested all partners of the firm, along with the boat driver and helper. A govt inquiry revealed that the boat was carrying children far beyond its capacity, leading to the capsizing.
According to Gupta, Kotia Projects was directed by the Gujarat high court to pay Rs 32 lakh as compensation per child. “However, the firm has paid only 25% of the amount to the parents so far,” he added.>
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