SHANGLA: Books worth million of rupees supposed to be given free of cost to the students have been decaying due to the apathy of the district education department here.

The books have been dumped in an open place in a school in Alpuri which were badly affected due to rain and heavy snowfall. Sources said that the education department had virtually thrown the books under the open sky.

The books, including that of Islamiyat, of all classes were sent by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Textbook Board for the government schools in Shangla district.

Local people and students have expressed concern over the situation, and asked the government to take action against those responsible for the negligence. They said that if the department had not space they would arrange the space for storing the books.

When contacted, education officer for development and planning, Aurangzeb, said that the department was unaware of the books lying in the open place. He said that they would take the books to safer place. He claimed that the books were kept in the open as construction work was underway in the school.

When contacted, Shangla district nazim said that he would take action against those not keeping the books in a proper warehouse.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2017