Rawalpindi The principal of the Government Secondary Girls School at Shah Gatalian, who instead of demanding funds from the Punjab government to clear the outstanding bill of gas, is forcing teachers to pay from their salaries every month till all dues against the utility bill are cleared fully. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the teachers alleged that the school principal, Ms Samina Iqbal, was forcing them to pay an amount of Rs2,000 every month till the clearance of the outstanding gas bill amounting to Rs150,000. According to them, the attitude of the principal was causing anxiety among schoolteachers, who otherwise, were not ready to pay the hefty amount from their pockets because of their meagre salaries. The teachers said that they get salaries for teaching students and not bound to pay utility bills, which otherwise, is the responsibility of the school management. If the school management is facing the problem of shortage of funds, the amount could be demanded from the provincial government instead of forcing teachers to pay Rs2,000 per month from their salaries. The teachers claimed that the matter is not in the notice of the Punjab government. “The provincial government should take notice of the matter and conduct an inquiry,” they said. School Principal Samina Iqbal, when contacted for her comments, admitted that the outstanding amount of the gas bill is being cleared with deductions from salaries of teachers. She said that five years back, a community college was opened whose management availed the gas facility but did not clear its bill. Two years back, the authorities of SNGPL disconnected gas connection forcing the entire staff and the students to shiver in cold during the winter season. Due to non-availability of gas facility, teachers and other staff members could not even prepare tea for themselves to refresh themselves. In order to resolve the issue, teachers were taken into confidence and they consented to pay an amount of Rs2,000 every month from their salaries for clearance of the utility bill and getting the gas connections revived. To a question, why funds were not demanded from the Punjab government for the bill payment, the principal said that the matter was not brought into the notice of the concerned quarters in the provincial government. It makes no difference if teachers extend their cooperation and clear the utility bill, she said. She also cleared that the deducted amount from salaries would not be refunded to teachers even if the government allocates funds for this purpose.
