Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha’s New Safety Measures for Women and Children in Mumbai Suburban Schools
Mangal Prabhat Lodha, the Cabinet Minister and Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban District, has issued important instructions to the District Collector of Mumbai Suburban regarding the safety of women and children. In a letter, he emphasized 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.
Lodha stated that from September 1, self-defense training will be provided to young women in all Industrial Training Institutes across the state and in schools/colleges in the Mumbai Suburban area. He mentioned, “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. Schools, colleges, and various institutions should also thoroughly verify the staff appointed by them to ensure no untoward incidents occur, and everyone should take precautions!”
In his letter, Minister Lodha instructed, “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. It should be strictly enforced that female sanitation workers are responsible for cleaning washrooms meant for underage girls and girls studying in the tenth grade. It should be mandatory to have a female staff member present in buses, taxis, and vans that are used for student transportation. Police verification of the sanitation staff working in schools should be conducted.”
He further instructed, “Schools should provide self-defense training to girls with the help of local NGOs. In case of an emergency in the school, children/students should be encouraged to report the incident to the 1098 helpline number. Posters regarding this should be displayed in schools. A separate committee of female parents should be established in the school. Monthly meetings of this committee should be held to discuss issues concerning girls. All schools and colleges should be instructed to put up posters in every classroom and on the premises, informing women and girls about using the 181 helpline in emergencies.”
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Mangal Prabhat Lodha -: Mangal Prabhat Lodha is a politician in India. He is a Cabinet Minister and the Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban District.
Mumbai Suburban District -: Mumbai Suburban District is a part of Mumbai, which is a big city in India. It includes many areas where people live and go to school.
District Collector -: The District Collector is an important government official who looks after the administration of a district. They make sure that government rules are followed.
self-defense training -: Self-defense training teaches people how to protect themselves if someone tries to harm them. It includes learning moves to stay safe.
CCTV surveillance -: CCTV surveillance means using cameras to watch and record what is happening in a place. This helps keep people safe by monitoring activities.
police verification -: Police verification is a process where the police check a person’s background to make sure they are safe to work in certain jobs, like sanitation workers in schools.
sanitation workers -: Sanitation workers are people who help keep places clean. In schools, they make sure the classrooms, bathrooms, and other areas are tidy and hygienic.
emergency helpline numbers -: Emergency helpline numbers are special phone numbers you can call if you need urgent help, like in case of danger or an accident.
committees of female parents -: Committees of female parents are groups of mothers who come together to talk about and solve safety issues in schools. They help make sure the school is a safe place for children.
