Govt to ensure safety of school bldgs
The Times of India: Implementation of safety norms in the National Building Code of India (NBCI) 2005, particularly those relating to fire hazards, has been made mandatory for all new privately-run primary schools in the state.
In its latest order, the state department for school education has directed the deputy directors (education) to ensure that no new school is issued an approval without being inspected for the NBCI norms and without having a proper building safety certification.
The order, issued by the department’s deputy secretary N.U. Raurale on October 20, assumes significance in the wake of fire and stampede tragedies in schools in places like New Delhi, Dabwali in Haryana and Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu in the last few years.
Earlier, the state government had asked all existing government-run, aided and unaided schools to see that they install fire extinguishers on their premises as per the guidelines laid by the Supreme Court in a verdict on April 13, 2009. The NBCI norms and its implementation were also mentioned in the same verdict.
Sunil Magar, deputy director (education), Pune region, told TOI on Sunday, “We are issuing letters to all newly-sanctioned schools to take note of the government order.” Pune region covers Pune, Ahmednagar and Solapur districts.
Magar said, “The government has, in principle, sanctioned nearly 60 primary schools and 60 secondary schools in Pune region for 2009-10. We received the government order regarding these sanctions and the process for their on-site inspection and formal grant of approval will now begin.”
He added that the concerned education officers for each district will inspect the school buildings and furnish their reports recommending approval or otherwise.
Among other things, the government’s latest order states that a building safety certificate will be must for schools seeking government recognition. Such schools ought to have got constructed their buildings according to a plan reflecting the NBCI provisions vis-a-vis safety. The certification will be the responsibility of the public works officials from either the state government or the concerned zilla parishad.
Similarly, for schools run by the government, local self-governing bodies or aided and unaided institutions, the task of inspection will be of the concerned estate engineers.
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