With new academic session about to begin, the bookstores and uniform stores and seeing large crowds and rush causing harassment and distress to Chandigarh residents. To manage this chaos, Chandigarh Education Department and Excise Department have teamed up to keep a check on the ensuing chaos.
In Sector-19 and Sector-22 markets, there is a barrage of parents lining up to purchase books and stationary items for their children who are about to begin their new academic session soon. This has caused chaos and disarray in markets. Parents are alleging they have had to wait for more than 1 hour to get books from a particular book store, mainly because the required books were sold by particular stores only and others didn’t stock them.
Earlier, Education Department directed schools to recommend books that are widely available in book stores. In a meeting held in February, the department had also directed schools to recommend books in a staggered manner. So that students can purchase some books later if they are required later in the session.
Schools were also asked to communicate with parents and ask them to purchase books and stationary early and not wait for later. Also schools cannot force parents to purchase new stationary items like geometry boxes.
Noticing a situation contrary to the directions issued, Education Department has issued letters to schools and bookstores in the city. The Education Departmentand Excise Department formed teams to check the situation in markets.
