‘Commercial exploitation of govt school premises’: Tensions rise over Baisakhi Mela prog at Siliguri school

Siliguri: Tensions flared on Wednesday as current and former students of Siliguri Hindi High School staged a protest against the proposed Baisakhi Mela, set to begin Thursday on the school grounds located on Station Feeder Road. The protestors raised concerns over the alleged commercial exploitation of the government school premises, claiming it is negatively impacting the institution’s academic environment.

Wielding placards and slogans, the students and alumni took out a rally through the area of the school before staging a demonstration in front of the school gate. They accused the school authorities of frequently renting out the school grounds for fairs, cricket tournaments and other commercial events in exchange for hefty sums, leading to a steady decline in the school’s educational standards and student enrolment. “We are not against sports but organising a fair brings in huge crowds. A crowded event could lead to accidents. Moreover, the area is packed with shops, making it unsuitable for such large gatherings,” said Bijay Chowdhury, a former student of the school.

In response to the controversy, Gautam Deb, the Mayor of Siliguri clarified that no official permission was granted by Siliguri Municipal Corporation to host the fair in the school grounds.

“Some local residents had raised the issue during the Talk to Mayor programme. We had communicated with the school management committee and on Tuesday they submitted a no objection certificate (NOC).

However, after assessing the potential security risks, we have decided not to issue any permission for the fair,” said Deb. The Mayor also stated that he informed the Police Commissioner about this. The school management committee comprises members appointed under Supreme Court orders and currently includes no administrative officer.

This has raised further questions regarding the legitimacy and decision-making powers of the committee.