Principals to monitor stray dogs under new Chhattisgarh school safety guidelines; Cong slams move

Raipur, Nov 24 (PTI) Principals will be responsible for monitoring and reporting the presence of stray dogs in or around school premises as per new guidelines issued by the Chhattisgarh school education department.

The guidelines have been issued in compliance with recent directions of the Supreme Court, an official statement said on Monday.

"Acting on the orders passed by the Supreme Court and based on instructions from the state's Livestock Development Department, the department has directed all schools to immediately implement protective measures. The principal of every school or head of the institutions has been designated as the nodal officer responsible for monitoring and reporting the presence of stray dogs in or around school premises," it said.

If stray dogs are spotted, the nodal officer must promptly inform the designated dog-catcher nodal officer of the concerned gram panchayat, janpad panchayat or municipal corporation, it said.

Schools have also been instructed to install necessary barriers and preventive mechanisms to stop stray dogs from entering the campus, the statement informed.

"In the event of a dog-bite incident, the school administration will be responsible for ensuring the child is immediately taken to the nearest health centre for timely first aid and treatment," the statement said.

The department asserted the objective of these measures is to create a safe, fear-free and supportive environment for students across all schools in the state.

"All district officials, Block Education Officer (BEOs), Block Resource Centres (BRCs), Cluster Resource Centres (CRCs) and School Management Committees have been asked to strictly enforce the guidelines and prioritise student safety as their highest responsibility," it added.

The opposition Congress slammed the decision, calling it an unnecessary burden on teaching staff.

The government wants teachers to do everything except teaching, the party said.

"Such responsibilities should lie with local bodies like municipal corporations and panchayats. Managing stray animals is a core function of urban local bodies, which have dedicated machinery, dog catchers and trained personnel," said Sushil Anand Shukla, head of state Congress communication wing.

"Why are teachers being assigned duties meant for municipal experts? Teachers have already been roped in as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Studies are getting affected in schools. It seems education is not a priority of the government," he added. PTI TKP BNM