Maharashtra: After the Badalpur incident, the state government has directed to install CCTV systems in the schools of the state. Accordingly, a proposal of Rs 6.5 crore has been submitted to the District Planning Department to install units worth at least Rs 30,000 in 2,528 schools of Raigad district. However, it could not get approval due to the assembly elections. The non-movement of the proposal has exposed the government’s indifference towards the safety of students.
There is a popular saying that the government works and waits for ten years. This is being proved on this occasion. The government had issued a fatwa to install CCTV cameras in schools for the safety of students. The education department gave such instructions to all the schools, but did not tell where the funds would come from for this. Therefore, the education department submitted a proposal to get funds from the District Planning Committee to install CCTV cameras in the schools of the district. However, this proposal got caught in the trap of the code of conduct. Now due to the delay in cabinet expansion and appointment of the guardian minister, a decision on this proposal could not be taken.
The special thing is that for the recently concluded assembly elections, the Election Department had installed CCTV cameras at 1,653 polling stations (in schools), but they were removed as soon as the voting process was completed. If these cameras had been installed, the problem of CCTV in 50 percent of the schools would have been solved. But this did not happen. In Raigarh district, private schools are under 100 percent CCTV surveillance, while municipalities and district councils have installed CCTVs in barely 300 schools. The primary district collector has given instructions to install CCTVs on priority basis in schools of those talukas where CSR funds are available. Still a large number of schools are deprived of CCTV systems. Due to lack of funds, it seems that the administration is not serious about the safety of Zilla Parishad schools. Proposal of 2,528 schools
The safety of students in Zilla Parishad schools is already in danger due to dilapidated schools in the district. The burden of repairing remote schools of the district is on the former students. However, now there are difficulties in raising funds for the expenses of CCTV systems. Due to this, the Primary Education Department of the Zilla Parishad has sent a proposal to install CCTVs in 2,528 schools to the District Planning Department.
Order after Badlapur incident
After the incident in Badlapur a few months ago, the government is serious about the safety of students. The government has issued orders from time to time regarding safety measures for school students, especially girls. Installing CCTV cameras in and around schools is one of them, but due to lack of funds, CCTVs have not been installed in many schools of the district even today. The proposal to install the system has been sent to the District Planning Office, but funds have not been made available yet. In some talukas, if financial assistance is being received from companies or alumni, then it has been suggested to install CCTVs on priority basis. – Punita Gurav, Education Officer, Primary Education Department
