Response to GNCTD letter of 04/02/2005

In your above-mentioned letter you have requested us, with reference to norms of the department, “to pin-point the names of the schools that in your opinion have flouted the provisions, as there is no such mention in copy of the petition filed by you in the court”. 

Shri V K Sharma. Deputy Director of Education

Office of the Deputy Director of Education, Distt South-West (A), C-4 Street, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi - 110057

Sub: Your letter1

No.F.DE.54/DDE/SWA/INSP/2005/91 dt 4/2/05 received today by Regd. post

Sir,

In your above-mentioned letter you have requested us, with reference to norms of the department, “to pin-point the names of the schools that in your opinion have flouted the provisions, as there is no such mention in copy of the petition filed by you in the court”.

In response to your request, we state that status in various schools is pin-pointed, with names and photographs, in our detailed report of 2001 (at Annexure-P/2) and by name in Encl.1 of our letter of 04.08.2001 (at p.55, basis of order for further reply by DDA, leading to its affidavit of 26.10.2004 and order of 27.10.2004). Whether GNCTD permissions have been flouted or not can be pin-pointed only with reference to their details. Your counter-affidavit provides us only a list of some (not all) names of trusts (not schools) to which GNCTD has given sponsorships for allotment. If you would provide us school-wise details of GNCTD permissions, we could also pin-point their violations.

However, our contention is that practically all schools are functioning in violation of the Master Plan, it seems (cf, para-7 in our Rejoinder, DDA affidavit of 26.10.2004 and order of 27.10.2004) largely because GNCTD norms themselves disregard its mandatory provisions. Please permit us to suggest a review of GNCTD norms for essentiality certificates, upgradation permissions, free-seats directives, definitions of neighbourhood-schools, etc, for conformity with law.

In general, please permit us to point out that our efforts since 2000 (inclusive of the PIL that we filed in December 2003) are targeted at implementation of the statutory Delhi Master Plan scheme for equal access neighbourhood schooling for making the constitutional commitment to universal education a reality. We intend to succeed in this pursuit with and not against our schools and authorities. We are enclosing our requests / suggestions of 28.12.2004 and 03.02.2005 in this regard.

We appreciate that you have written to us and hope that this marks the beginning of working together in pursuit of the lawful and holistic solution for a constitutional commitment that is very dear to all.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely

Gita Dewan Verma, MPISG Planner

encl.

Letters of 28.12.20042

and 03.02.20053

to GNCTD Chief Secretary / DDA Vice Chairman

cc: (for information apropos enclosed letters, response to which we await)

  • GNCTD Chief Secretary
  • DDA Vice Chairman

To support planned development. To oppose unplanned development. To protect our future.