Mohali:
Former Mohali Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi on Saturday alleged that students at a government primary school were forced to study in extreme heat after the school’s electricity supply was disconnected due to the expiry of its prepaid power recharge.
During a visit to the school, Bedi claimed the institution operates on a prepaid digital electricity meter, under which the power supply is automatically cut off once the recharge balance is exhausted. He alleged that government schools do not receive a separate budget for electricity recharges, forcing teachers to contribute money from their own pockets to restore power.
Highlighting the difficult conditions, Bedi said children were studying in dark classrooms without fans despite temperatures touching around 42°C. He questioned the government’s claims of an “education revolution” and smart schools, saying students were being deprived of even basic facilities
He urged the Punjab Government and the Education Department to either provide free electricity to government schools or ensure a dedicated system for timely payment of electricity bills so that teachers are not burdened with the expense.
Bedi also alleged that there was a wide gap between the government’s claims and the ground reality in education and healthcare. He said priority should be given to improving basic infrastructure in schools rather than spending heavily on publicity, adding that no child’s education should suffer due to the lack of electricity or other essential facilities.
