Thiruvananthapuram: In a high-level meeting chaired by Ministers V Sivankutty and M B Rajesh, the State Government has decided to dismantle all school buildings that pose safety risks.

The decision was prompted by the continued presence of old, abandoned structures on school campuses where new buildings have already been constructed.

While technical hurdles have delayed the demolition of these outdated buildings, their proximity to newly built school structures has also created difficulties in securing fitness certificates for the new facilities.

As per the decision, District Collectors will be instructed to carry out the demolition of such buildings under provisions of the Disaster Management Act. Orders will also be issued to trim overgrown branches of trees on adjoining private properties if they pose safety threats to the school infrastructure.

To facilitate the functioning of new buildings, provisional fitness certificates will be granted to those that are structurally sound and do not present any major safety risks. This provision applies to schools that have been denied certificates due to relatively minor issues such as wall plastering defects, flooring problems, irregularities in room size, or the absence of false ceilings.

Action against 74 schools
The meeting also decided to take action against 74 schools that failed to address issues flagged while granting provisional fitness certificates last year and have not applied for regularisation. These schools will no longer be eligible for fitness certificates, and the Ministers have directed officials to initiate appropriate proceedings against them.