By IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Wednesday awarded a compensation of Rs.8.5 lakh to a minor girl, who became partially paralysed after getting injured during swimming practice at her school here in 2007.
Riya Gupta, an eighth class student, had suffered injuries to her spine in the swimming pool at a school in Rohini area here on the morning of Sep 5, 2007. She got paralysed below her waist and there were remote possibilities of her recovery.
The Mediation and Conciliation Centre of the Delhi High Court settled the compensation for the girl asking Remal Public School, the society which runs it and two swimming teachers to pay compensation to girl’s family.
The school, which did not accept its negligence, and others amicably settled the civil suit seeking damages of Rs.21 lakh and agreed to pay Rs.8.5 lakh to the parents of Riya for her expensive treatment.
Out of Rs.8.5 lakh, the school and its society would pay Rs.8 lakh to her and rest Rs.50,000 would be paid by the swimming teachers.
The court asked the two teachers to pay Rs.25,000 each. Meanwhile, the mediator also asked the parents to ensure that the amount is used for the treatment only.
Riya Gupta, student of Remal Public School in north Delhi, alleged in her petition that she had been seriously injured after she was forced to do dive in a pool during a swimming class despite the low level of water.
Advocate Ashok Agarwal, who appeared for Gupta, alleged there was utter negligence by the school authorities which should pay damages to the tune of Rs.21 lakh.