Students of Rajarshi Janak Secondary School of Kurtha in Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City-21, Dhanusha, have been attending their classes under the open sky after the school building was razed down for road expansion six months ago.

Headmaster Birendra Prasad Yadav said as the city authority had not taken any initiative to build classrooms, they were compelled to run the classes on the road side.

“Students are having trouble learning because of dust pollution. They have to wear dust masks all the time,” he said.

The school has no idea how they will run its daily classes come winter, when the region experiences an extended period of cold spell and foggy weather. Bhogendra Raya, chairman of the school management committee, said the school building was demolished at the instruction of Rameshwar Mahaseth, the ward chairman of Janakpur-21.

“The city authority did not offer us any alternative before bulldozing the school building. They said they were getting rid of the school compound wall and classrooms to create space for road widening,” Raya said.He accused the city officials of being inconsiderate towards the concern of the school, the students and their education. It’s been six months and no efforts have been made to build new classrooms, Raya added.Local residents are also angry with the city authority for forcing students to take their classes on the road side.

“We support the road expansion work, but that does not mean the city can demolish school buildings without an alternative to run the classes,” said Sanjaya Kumar Nayak, a local man.

People have also accused Ward Chairman Mahaseth of encroaching road to build the ward office building.

“Who is going to demolish the ward office building that stands on encroached land?” said Shambhu Nirdoshi, another local.

Ward Chairman Mahaseth denied the encroachment allegation. Regarding the demolition of the school building, he said he will help build new classrooms if the school made a formal request to his office.

“The school’s headmaster should write a formal letter, only then the ward office will help,” he said.