Asked to shut shop, 29 schools ignore order

Updated on: 01 July,2010 09:37 AM IST |
Alifiya Khan |

Two weeks after the Zilla Parishad as well as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) authorities served notices to 29 schools in the district stating they should shut down immediately, not one of the schools has complied with the directive.

On Tuesday, the State Education Department wrote to education officers of the District Collectorate and the deputy director of education that they should act against the schools at once.

Deputy District Education Officer Piraji Patil said the schools must shut down by June 30. "Before starting a school, all parties must submit a proposal to the district education officer. Only after formal approval can they start a school," said Patil. "But in most cases, these schools either haven't applied for permission or have applied and are running without permission coming through."

He added that schools were informed they had been fined Rs 1 lakh for flouting rules and also that if they were found open after the deadline, a fine of Rs 10,000 per day would be imposed on them.

Of the 29 schools, 15 are in the city, and include a few well-known schools too. Some of these schools are Silver Academy in Kothrud, Jog School on Sinhagad Road, City International School in Kondhwa. From Friday, the education officers will be carrying out an inspection of the premises of each of these schools, and action will be taken against the ones that are still found operating.