Rain fury in Himachal: CAM seeks online classes & closing educational institutions again

In view of heavy rain and severe disaster, Chhatar Abhibhavak Munch (Student Guardian Forum) of  Himachal Pradesh demanded the state and education department to keep all government and private schools and other educational institutions closed for the next few days. 

 Forum’s convenor Vijendra Mehra and co-convenor Vivek Kashyap have said in a joint statement that due to heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh, there has been a terrible calamity. They said that Government has to close the educational institutions for three days due to continuous rains from August 11 to 16 but now educational institutions are open. The CAM said that it is not right to put the lives of students at risk in the wake of unprecedented heavy rains and calamities because any untoward, incident and big mishap could happen in such extreme weather. The state is facing continue heavy and incessant rains, cloud bursts, floods, and sudden release of water from maga dams, the sudden rise of water level in rivers and drains, landslides, collapsing of houses, and uprooting trees and damaged roads pose major challenges for the parents and school management to ensure the safety of student during their school hours and in between. The economic loss of more than ten thousand crore rupees has been rendered by the disaster and the closing of schools would not make any difference in keeping the safety of students, teachers and school staff, and school vans.  

The forum said that the keeping loss of more than three hundred and fifty people have lost their lives it is not suitable to risk the students as in rural areas they have to cross the rivers and flood revenues daily.  A large part of the state’s land has been washed away due to the rains.  There has been a massive landslide in the state.  HRTC, private buses, and other government and private transport services have been severely affected and vehicles are stuck in status quo due to broken roads.  

Roads leading to schools and other educational institutions are closed.  Due to broken or damaged roads, the traffic facility is badly affected and very few vehicles are plying on the roads.  It has become common for stones and sledgehammers to fall on moving vehicles.  Dozens of people have lost their lives in such incidents.  

Trees have fallen in the damaged roads or there has been a severe landslide.  Many buildings around the schools are in danger and are on the verge of collapse.  The condition of many school buildings has also become pathetic due to rain.  In such a situation, sending students to schools or educational institutions is not free from danger.  

CAM demanded the government and private educational institutions to extend the facility of online classes on the lines of the Covid pandemic so that the education of the children did not suffer moreover keeping their safety could also be ensured.