New Delhi: Delhi High Court on Friday directed the state government to initiate action against unauthorised and illegal private schools that had ignored safety norms.

A division bench of Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice H.R. Malhotra said the authorities had failed in arresting the mushrooming growth of unauthorised schools, jeopardising the lives of thousands of children studying there.

'Safety norms must not be compromised when it is the case with children,' said the bench, while asking the Directorate of Education to file by Feb 13 the status report on adherence of safety norms by 11 schools, examined recently by a court-appointed committee.

The committee comprising Y.V.V.J. Rajasekhar, Deputy Director of Delhi Development Authority -, R K Wadhera, Assistant Director - and advocate Ashok Agrawal visited eleven schools in various localities of Delhi.

In its report, the committee had stated that except R.J. Public School in Mahipalpur, the remaining were not recognised by the municipal authorities.

The unrecognized schools included Adarsh Public School -, Modern Public School and St. William Public School -, Vasant Public School -, Sri Ram Public School and Moon Light Public School - and L.B. School -.

Pointing out various deficiencies in safety provisions in these schools, the report said while most of the schools did not have firefighting equipment, some had no electricity and others are in commercial areas with no playground.

Agrawal, appearing for a voluntary agency Social Jurist, alleged that there were 10,000 schools in the capital without any registration.

He said over 600,000 students are studying in such schools, which neither have proper building nor basic amenities or properly qualified teachers, leave aside the provision for safety measures.

The petitioner sought the direction of the court to the authorities to regulate the schools in the interest of the students.(IANS)