Two years after a school picnic ended in tragedy at Vadodara’s Harni Lake, grieving parents have turned to the consumer court, accusing their children’s school of negligence, illegal conduct and failure of duty.
Seeking more than Rs 16 crore in compensation, they allege that the day trip was organised without permission, basic safety norms were ignored, and accountability after the deaths of 11 children has remained inadequate despite arrests, inquiries and court-ordered payouts.
Now, parents of the 11 children who drowned during a boating excursion at Harni Lake have filed a case against New Sunrise School, where the children were enrolled. The petition was moved before the Vadodara District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on January 17.
Collectively, the parents have sought compensation of Rs 16.61 crore for the loss of their children, national daily has reported.
However, the parent of one deceased child is yet to join the litigation.
Congress leader from Vadodara Ami Ravat told the Vibes of India that the first to be blamed is the contractor, followed by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation that was supposed to monitor the outing and, lastly, the school that had not followed certain guidelines.
The case relates to the Jan 18, 2024 tragedy, when a boat capsised during a school picnic at Harni lake, resulting in the deaths of 12 schoolchildren and two teachers. Advocate Hitesh Gupta, who is representing the parents before the consumer forum, said that each parent had demanded compensation of Rs 1.51 crore from the school.
According to the complaint, each complainant has sought Rs 1 crore as compensation for the loss of their child, Rs 50 lakh for mental trauma, and Rs 1 lakh towards litigation expenses, along with interest at 18% per annum from the date of the incident until actual payment.
The parents have accused the school of deficiency in service and unfair trade practices. Gupta said the school had organised the picnic and was responsible for the children’s safety, and that the parents later learnt the picnic had been arranged illegally without obtaining prior permission from the district education officer.
The complaint describes the incident as one of criminal negligence, citing the absence of safety measures, overcrowding of the boat, and lack of trained supervisors and life-saving equipment, which, according to the parents, led directly to the catastrophe. Gupta said the school bore responsibility for the incident.
It has also been alleged that the school did not issue receipts for the Rs 750 collected from each student for the picnic. Gupta said the school collected annual fees along with picnic charges but failed to provide proper services, resulting in irreparable loss to the families, and that the administration had merely fined the school Rs 10,000 for its negligence.
In the aftermath of the drowning, parents had lodged an FIR against Kotia Projects, the firm awarded the contract for the Harni Lake zone. Police arrested all partners of the firm, as well as the boat driver and helper. A government inquiry later found that the boat had been carrying children far beyond its capacity, which caused it to capsize.
Gupta said the Gujarat high court had directed Kotia Projects to pay compensation of Rs 32 lakh per child. However, he added, the firm has so far paid only 25% of the amount to the parents.
Also Read: Gujarat: A Year After Harni Boat Tragedy, Victims’ Families to Get Rs 32 Lakh Each https://www.vibesofindia.com/gujarat-a-year-after-harni-boat-tragedy-victims-families-to-get-rs-32-lakh-each/
