Schools, Colleges To Implement Safety Measures For Women & Children From September 1 - Details here

Cabinet Minister and Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban District, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, has issued key directives to the District Collector for the safety of women and children following the Badlapur incident.

Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said that from self-defense training will be provided in all the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) of the state and every college in Mumbai suburbs from September 1.

He further stated that to prevent incidents of violence against women and children in the state, schools, colleges, universities as well as government and private institutions should take strict action from the security point of view.

This initiative forms part of a broader strategy to empower women and ensure their safety in educational institutions.

Maharashtra 'Rajya Geet' Corner was unveiled by Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha at Mumbai Suburban Collectorate.

On this occasion, he suggested that schools-colleges and various organisations should also ensure the check of the staff deployed here and everyone should be cautious to avoid any untoward incident. He mentioned steps will be taken to appoint women staff in schools and colleges which have women's toilets.

Minister also expressed grave concern over the rising instances of violence against women and children, citing the recent incident in Badlapur as a glaring example of the need for immediate action.

Several key measures from the directives include:

1. Installation of CCTV cameras throughout the school premises, excluding restrooms, with regular maintenance checks by beat marshals or mobile police teams.

2. Permanent stationing of female staff members outside girls’ restrooms for constant supervision.

3. Assignment of female sanitation workers to clean restrooms used by minor girls and 10th grade students.

4. Requirement of female staff presence on all buses, taxis, and vans used for student transportation.

5. Mandatory police verification of all sanitation workers employed in schools.

6. Collaboration with local NGOs to provide self-defense training for female students.

7. Encouragement for students to report issues via the 1098 helpline number, with schools required to display posters with this information.

8. Establishment of a separate committee of female parents in schools, with monthly meetings to discuss issues related to female students.

9. Display of posters in schools and colleges, informing women and girls about the 181 helpline for emergencies.

10. Schools are also required to maintain a complaint box for students, form a student security council, and report any incidents to the government within 24 hours.