The Hindu : Karnataka News : Entry of fire extinguishers in schools six years after Kumbakonam tragedy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 07, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka

Entry of fire extinguishers in schools six years after Kumbakonam tragedy

Shankar Bennur

Supreme Court's directive to be followed in all States, Union Territories

— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

Children's safety is supreme:Government schools in the State will be equipped with portable fire extinguishers.

MYSORE: It's better late than never, particularly in the case of safety of our children. All government schools in Karnataka will soon be equipped with fire extinguishing equipment.

The measure comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's direction to the States and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure children's safety in schools. This is a fall out of the fire accident at a school in Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu in 2004 which killed 93 children.

The Government proposes to purchase 30,000 portable fire extinguishers (the number may go up to 50,000) for each school — primary and high school — and the devices would be installed before the schools reopen for the next academic season.

On a priority

The schools where food is cooked under the midday meal programme — Akshara Dasoha — will get the devices on priority.

Talking to The Hindu, Joint Director (midday meals) Venkatesaiah said the Department of Fire and Emergency Services had been roped in to train the heads of the schools, and the cooks and their assistants to operate the extinguishers. Mr. Venkatesaiah said fire-fighting devices would be supplied only to the government schools. Managements of aided and unaided schools are required to procure them on their own.

The Joint Director said tenders had been invited from competent agencies for supplying the fire extinguishers (stored pressure extinguisher). “Once the bid is finalised, the agency will be asked to supply them to each government school,” he said.

In April 2009, the Supreme Court, acting on a petition, directed the States and UTs to establish safety measures (as prescribed by the National Building Code of India) in schools.

Acting on the directive, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Government of Karnataka, has taken measures to establish fire safety standards in its schools.

However, there is the question of whether the schools will get the equipment before the schools reopen?

“The fire extinguishers will be supplied to schools in the coming academic year itself since all necessary steps for their procurement have been taken,” the Joint Director said. In addition to fire safety, the court had asked the States to adhere to the standards laid down by the National Building Code of India with respect to school buildings.

“We shall ensure that new school buildings will be according to the safety standards,” said a senior official in the DPI.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka