AMU’s Rs 2-cr school in riot-affected Budhana to come up on donated land

Shah will lay the foundation stone of the school at Jaula village on October 8.

The school will come up on a two-acre land donated by a local farmer Ghulam Mohammad Jaula and his family. AMU authorities said the school will have all the infrastructure needed to provide quality education to children. “We will start with primary classes —- from Kindergarten to class 5 —- and would keep upgrading by one class every year till Class 12,” said Shah, adding that the admissions will begin from next academic session.

Shah, who made several trips to Muzaffarnagar, said he had appealed to the villagers to donate some more land as present site is insufficient for the project.

Budhana Sub District Magistrate (SDM) J P Gupta said he has come to know about AMU’s plan of opening the school but he has not received any official communication as donation of private land to university will not need any permission from the administration. He said Jaula village was untouched during riots. However, the village, with 85 per cent of its population belonging to Muslim community, had given shelter to larger number of riot victims.

A committee would be set up to run the school on “no-profit-no loss” basis providing education to children for a minimum fee. Teaching staff will be appointed by the same committee, which will have members from AMU, University’ old boys and alumni associations as well as local villagers.

Ghulam Mohammad Jaula, who donated the land, said he did so in the interest of children affected buy riots.