By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 25 Sep: The Uttarakhand Government has finally decided to renew the lease of the St Joseph’s Academy sports ground constructed on nazul land.
On Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s instructions, Chief Secretary Radha Raturi has directed the Housing Department to renew the lease of the nazul land to St Joseph’s Academy, one of the premier educational institutions in Dehradun. The decision comes after the government’s plan not to renew the lease of this land to St Joseph’s Academy had anguished not only the alumni of the school but a large section of the public, also.
It may be recalled that government authorities had declared its intention not to renew the lease of this sports ground to St Joseph’s Academy and instead construct a parking site here. For this, a team of the revenue and housing departments, and MDDA officials, had visited the sports ground yesterday and measured the land to plan the outlay of the proposed parking place. It is not the first time, that the Uttarakhand Government has tried to take back possession of this Nazul land from St Joseph’s Academy. However, even then, the public ire and the strong lobbying by the alumni of the school had forced the government to retreat.
It is pertinent to point out here that the school has a splendid history and has produced alumni who have reached top positions in the defence, the administrative and the police services, besides also producing great teachers, professors and businessmen. It is considered to be a top school in Dehradun and remains among select schools having such a large sports ground. The school and its campus, in fact, deserve to be considered a heritage of Dehradun having a history of more than ninety years.
The school is managed by the Brothers of St Patrick, an Irish Catholic society which also runs St George’s College in Mussoorie.
Once the decision of the government not to renew the lease of the ground to the school became a matter of public knowledge, a campaign by many alumni of the school was launched against the decision. An online signature campaign was also run over the past few days on Change.org protesting the proposed acquisition of the land. Some sources also alleged that a local BJP leader had played a key role behind the earlier decision of the government not to renew the lease to the school. This BJP leader has a business establishment near the school and would have been a beneficiary of the decision to create a parking facility in the sports ground.
Once the school authorities came to know of the government’s decision, they also attempted to meet the authorities and requested them to reconsider the decision. In this connection, the Principal of the School, Brother Joseph along with a former Principal of the school, Brother Carrol, met Chief Secretary Radha Raturi and former DGP Anil Raturi, who is an alumnus of St George’s College in Mussoorie.
Once the matter heated up, the government wisely chose to reconsider the decision to take back possession of the sports ground. Today, on the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Secretary Radha Raturi held a meeting with the Secretary, Housing, District Magistrate, and SSP, Dehradun, as well as senior officers of the MDDA at the Secretariat, today, to reconsider the earlier decision. At the meeting, it was formally decided the nazul land in question will not be taken back from St Joseph’s Academy. However, the government has directed the school authorities to ensure parking arrangements for the vehicles of the students and the parents coming to pick up their wards within the school premises, itself, so that the general public does not face any inconvenience. Raturi has also asked the Housing Department to take action as per rules on the renewal of the lease of the Nazul land for St Joseph’s Academy.
SJA management thanks CM Dhami for swift intervention in playground controversy
Dehradun, 25 Sep: The Management, Staff, Students, Alumni, Parents and well-wishers of St Joseph’s Academy have thanked Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for his swift action on the issue of transferring the school playground for parking.
In a statement issued by the school, it has been emphasised that the entire school community is grateful for his personal intervention and his support for the future of students of Dehradun and the state of Uttarakhand. This concern of school children was seriously taken cognizance of by the Chief Minister for securing the future of the students.
“With this, the Chief Minister has followed the vision of our Prime Minister who has placed great importance on sports and games by promoting the ‘Khelo India’ movement,” asserted the letter from the school Principal, Bro Joseph M Joseph.
The management has wished the Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, good health and great success in all that he is doing for the betterment of the state and the country.
