Bengaluru: There are questions on how government schools are being disposed of after a former student has said roof sheets worth around ₹5 lakh have been sold for only ₹20,000. There have been calls for a transparent inquiry into the way in which public assets are disposed of.
According to the claims, roof sheets were removed when the government school building was renovated or repaired. The former student claims that the sheets were still in usable condition and had a market value of nearly ₹5 lakh but were sold to a private person for only ₹20,000.
As for the disposal process and whether such approval was obtained from the concerned authorities before the sale, the complainant has questioned whether that was the case. They also claim that the value of the government property should have been assessed before the sale of it.
Questions Over Auction Process
Government institutions generally follow prescribed procedures when disposing of old or surplus materials. These procedures generally involve valuation, approval from competent authorities and, where applicable, disposal through a transparent public auction.
In this situation, the former student has asked for clarification on several aspects, such as:
- Whether a public auction was held.
- If the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) or other competent authorities approved the sale.
- Whether valuation records were prepared before disposal.
- Whether the sale proceeds were officially deposited into the government account.
The complainant has asked the authorities to make all relevant records public so as to be transparent.
Education Department may examine the matter
After the public accusations have been made, the issue has already been brought to the attention of officials in the Education Department. According to information, authorities will gather some preliminary info and review the data.
If discrepancies are found in the investigation, the department may conduct a formal investigation into whether government rules governing the disposal of public property were violated.
No Official Response Yet
No response has been given by the teacher or school authorities about these accusations. The Education Department has not released any result or evidence that there is any irregularity.
These are still allegations made by a former student, and they have not been proven by an official investigation. Any conclusions regarding wrongdoing will be made once the competent authorities have seen the evidence.
Demand for Transparency
Former students and residents have called for a fair and impartial inquiry, saying government schools are public institutions and all public assets should be managed and disposed of in accordance with the law.
Many have also recommended more transparency measures in the form of maintaining digital inventories of school assets; publishing sale notices online; and making disposal records available to the public.
Experts think such measures can help to build public confidence and reduce disputes regarding government property.
Until the official inquiry is complete, allegations should not be treated as facts. The actual value of the materials will need to be determined, the sale process followed, and all legal and administrative requirements carried out.
