After violent protests erupted in Maharashtra following Badlapur sexual assault case, the Maharashtra government issued safety guidelines for girl students in schools. The guidelines were issued by Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Cabinet Minister and Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban District.
Bombay High Court to hear matter today
In the meantime, the Bombay High Court has taken Suo Moto cognizance of the Badlapur sexual assault against minor girls in a school case and the matter will be heard later in the day.
Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha issued instructions to the District Collector of Mumbai Suburban regarding the safety of women and children and emphasised the need for all necessary measures to be taken for the safety of women and female students in various schools and colleges in the Mumbai Suburban area to prevent crimes against women and children.
He stated that self-defence training will be provided to young women in all Industrial Training Institutes across the state and in schools/colleges in the Mumbai Suburban area from September 1.
"The increasing crimes against women and children are a matter of concern for the government, administration, and our society. The incident that occurred in Badlapur has provided public suggestions for preventive measures. Such incidents are happening due to negligence regarding women's safety. Keeping this in mind, strict instructions should be given to all educational institutions from kindergarten to postgraduate levels in the Mumbai Suburban area,” he said.
Check full list of safety guidelines:
- Schools, colleges, and institutions should thoroughly verify the staff appointed by them to ensure no untoward incidents occur.
- The entire school premises, except for washrooms, should be brought under the surveillance of CCTV cameras.
- Cameras should be installed, and their safety and proper functioning should be regularly checked by beat marshals or patrolling police teams.
- A female staff member should be permanently assigned to monitor outside the girls' washrooms.
- Female sanitation workers must be responsible for cleaning washrooms meant for underage girls and girls studying in the tenth grade.
- Female staff member must be present in buses, taxis, and vans that are used for student transportation.
- Police verification of the sanitation staff working in schools should be conducted regularly.
- In case of an emergency in the school, children/students should be encouraged to report the incident to the 1098 helpline number.
(With inputs from agencies)
