Install CCTV cameras within one month, govt's fiat to schools after Badlapur incident

Mumbai: Following the incident of sexual abuse at a school in Badlapur, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday issued a directive to all the schools in the state to install CCTV cameras on their premises within a month.

The failure to comply with the order may result in severe consequences such as revocation of the permission to operate, said the order issued by School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar.

Protests have broken out in many parts of the state following the alleged sexual abuse of two kindergarten girls at a school in Badlapur near Mumbai. A school attendant was arrested in the case.

"All private schools in the state are required to comply with new guidelines from the department, mandating the installation of CCTV cameras at appropriate locations within school premises. Failure to comply may result in actions such as withholding financial grants or revocation of the school's operating permit," the order said.

Installation of a comprehensive CCTV camera network is a proactive measure to enhance the safety and security of students, teachers and staff, it said.

The school education department has also permitted the use of five per cent of the funds allocated for schools in the District Planning and Development Council to establish CCTV camera networks in state-run and aided schools.

Further, the CCTV footage should be examined at least three times a week, and it would be the principal's responsibility to contact police if any concerning incident is captured by the cameras, the order said.

The department also instructed school managements to conduct thorough background checks of all employees with the assistance of the local police station. Schools should provide the local police station the details and photographs of their employees, it added.

All schools must also provide complaint boxes, the order said.

The government has set up a state-level school students safety committee, to be headed by the school education commissioner. There will be six other members, while the assistant director (administration) under the education commissioner will be the member secretary.

This committee will meet once every three months to review various measures taken to enhance the safety of students, and submit reports to the state government periodically.

Elsewhere, cabinet minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha who is also the guardian minister for Mumbai suburban district wrote a letter to the district collector, requesting deployment of female staff at the girls' washroom in all schools.

"The entire school premises, except for washrooms, should be brought under the surveillance of CCTV cameras....their safety and proper functioning should be regularly checked by beat marshals or patrolling police teams," Lodha said.

A woman staff member should monitor the area outside the girls washroom and only women sanitation workers should be deployed to clean them, the minister wrote. The sanitation staff must undergo police verification, he said.

It should be mandatory to have a woman staff member present in buses, taxis and vans used for student transportation, the letter further said.