CHOPAL: The closure of the sole primary school in the remote Kashak village of Chopal has come under fire. The Himachal Pradesh government's recent decision to shut down 117 primary schools and 26 secondary schools with fewer than three students each has drawn criticism.
Among those affected are five primary schools in the Chopal assembly, namely Kyari, Antaravali, Kashak, Jubbli, and Darbad.
Sources reveal that the Kashak village's primary school, located in the Taylor Panchayat block of Nerwa, in Shimla, adjacent to the Uttarakhand border, has been abruptly shuttered.
Operating since the 1960s, the closure has triggered considerable anger among the villagers. Devendra Chauhan, a young engineer from the village, highlights the severe consequences of this decision.
The poor children of Kashak now face illiteracy due to the school's closure. Chauhan insists that while consolidating schools with few students is reasonable, the government should assess ground realities, considering geographical conditions and distance before making such a move. He said a uniform approach cannot be universally applied.
The closure has left families in turmoil. With children up to the fifth standard being extremely young, sending them to a different location for education implies uprooting families, resulting in household disruptions.
The villagers' only options seem to be educating their children at home or neglecting their essential chores. The government's decision has plunged the community into sorrow.
The already road-deprived Kashak village is now grappling with the additional blow of the school's closure. Kashak, located 7 kilometers uphill, lacks proper road access, with the only route being a walking path.
The village's youth, including Rakesh Chauhan, Narendra Chauhan, Anil Chauhan, Chandan Chauhan, and Bhupinder Chauhan, voice their dissatisfaction.
Despite 75 years of independence, Kashak remains bereft of a road, stranded on the Uttarakhand border. Neglected by successive political leaders, the village's plight worsens.
Village head Matbar Singh Chauhan recounts his relentless efforts since 2003 to secure road construction for the village, reaching out to past and present MLAs, all in vain.
In 2019, MLA Balbir Verma sanctioned a 15-kilometer road project for Kashak village, yet even after four years, no discernible progress has been made. The villagers' appeals and surveys have yielded negligible results.
Surviving in Kashak has become grueling for its inhabitants. Both cash crops and ailing residents struggle to access the road.
Panchayat Pradhan Kamla Chauhan and Kashak's head, Matabar Singh Chauhan, urge the government to reconsider its decision. Given the arduous geographical conditions, they plead for the school to continue functioning, even if only two children attend.
Matabar Singh Chauhan recalls former CM late Virbhadra Ji's stance that education must reach every child, irrespective of geographical challenges.
