The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed Chief Educational Officers of southern and central districts to file a report to a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to authorities to repair dilapidated government school buildings.

A Division Bench of Justices C.V. Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel was hearing a petition filed by K. Muruganandam of Pudukkottai district. The petitioner complained about the dilapidated condition of government school buildings.

He said the official responses received to an RTI application confirmed that a majority of government primary and secondary school buildings in Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Tiruchi, Karur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Thoothukudi districts were severely damaged and posed a serious threat to the lives of students and those who visited the schools.

He sought a direction to authorities to repair the dilapidated school buildings, toilets, kitchen rooms, compound walls and anganwadi buildings. He also sought a direction to authorities to construct new buildings.

He sent a representation to authorities seeking emergency structural safety audits be conducted in primary and secondary panchayat union schools in Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Tiruchi, Karur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Thoothukudi districts, repair and reconstruct the school buildings as per rules and regulations. However no action was taken in this regard, he said. The court posted the matter for hearing to August 17.

Published - July 16, 2026 10:15 pm IST