Plea before P&H High Court seeks ₹1 crore compensation for family of teacher who died in school roof collapse

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday sought the Punjab government’s response to a plea seeking enforcement of a State minister’s assurance of ₹1 crore compensation to the family of a teacher who died in a Ludhiana school roof collapse [Uday Pratap Singh and Another v State of Punjab and Others]

The counsel representing the victim's son and husband submitted that the compensation amount was announced by Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains in 2024 but only ₹22 lakh has been paid so far.

The petitioners sought payment of the remaining amount.

Justice Jagmohan Bansal asked the State to respond to the plea and listed the matter for further hearing on May 13.

"Notice of motion. Ld State counsel seeks time to file a reply and address arguments," the Court said in the order.

Pertinently, the Court also asked whether a right can be said to be created merely on the basis of a statement made by the minister.

"Ministers make statement anywhere. It is not their money," the Court said

The victim Ravinder Kaur was posted at the Punjab Government School of Eminence at Baddowal Cantt in district Ludhiana. The roof of the first floor and that of the ground floor collapsed on August 23 in 2023. At least four teachers came under the debris of the collapsed roofs. While others survived with injuries, Kaur died at a hospital.

In July 2024, the government announced a compensation of ₹1 crore for the family. The first installment of ₹10 lakh was paid in 2024 and a second installment of same amount was paid in 2025. Another amount of ₹2 lakh was also paid as a ex-gratia payment.

The plea moved by Kaur's son Uday Pratap Singh and husband Mandeep Singh alleged that despite repeated representations, the government has failed to release the remaining amount of ₹78 lakh.

During the hearing today, Senior Advocate Rajiv Atma Ram, representing the petitioners, submitted that it was a case of government failure.

"The roof of the school building collapsed and it is a school of eminence... there are 49 unsafe schools which are still running in Ludhiana. The government should action. There are teachers working there, students studying there," the senior counsel said.

At this, the Court remarked:

"Government says that we have model schools!"

Ram responded that even the model schools are collapsing.

"This was a school of eminence," he said.

Meanwhile, the Court declined to pass any interim direction for payment of fee for the victim's son who has got admission at India International University of Legal Education & Research (IIULER), Goa.

The Court was told that on the basis of his score in the Common Law Entrance Test (CLAT), he has got the admission at IIULER and needs to pay an annual fee of ₹7.72 Lakh. His father is unable to meet the expenses on account of financial distress, the plea before Court said.

However, the Court said it can't issue direction for payment of fee to government at this stage.

"It can't be. Suppose she or he says I want to study in London..," the Court remarked.

The Court also remarked that IIULER was not in its jurisdiction for it to issue a direction for delaying the payment of academic fee.

The Court also remarked that the matter did not involve a question of enforcement of an absolute right.

It then asked the State to respond to the plea.

Senior Advocate Rajiv Atma Ram along with advocates Arjun Pratap Atma Ram and Ananya Kalia represented the petitioners.