By Imtiyaz Pandow
Budgam: Demanding Higher Secondary School for area scores of Utligam residents and its adjacent vicinities from Beerwah area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district staged a protest demonstration on Thursday.
Protesting residents took to Beerwah Budgam road to press their demand that a higher secondary school must be sanctioned for the area.
Appealing to the governor administration aghast protestors including civil society members, representatives of students bodies, shopkeepers and others have demanded to sanction a Higher Secondary School in favour of their area.
The assembled protestors claimed that the authorities have recently upgraded one higher secondary in the area but the same falls in the remote area.
“The higher secondary they have upgraded is of no use as there is no transport facility to that remote area and our students are compelled to travel at least seven kilometres for getting education from Beerwah higher secondary school.”
They alleged that “Chief Education Officer (CEO) Budgam has forwarded the false feasibility report to higher authorities due to which the up gradation of Utligam school has been dropped.”
They claimed the distance mentioned by CEO in the feasibility report is two kilometres which is seven kilometres in actual. “We request higher authorities to visit and inspect the distance on spot.”
Protestors claimed that the absence of higher secondary in the area has led to the increase in school dropouts.
“Utligam area is comprised of more at least 50 village having around eight Middle and five Secondary level schools, but not a single Higher Secondary. Our protest will continue till our demand would be fulfilled. ” they added.
