Maharashtra forms panel to formulate safety policy for school children

The development comes after the Badlapur incident in which two minor girls in Grade 4 were sexually assaulted in school in August

To frame a policy to increase the safety of schoolchildren in Maharashtra after the Badlapur incident, the State government has formed a high-level committee under a retired judge of the Bombay High Court. A GR was issued on Thursday (September 19, 2024) notifying the reconstitution and expansion of the committee consisting of 18 members. It has been mandated to give its report for policy formulation within two months.

This step was taken after the Bombay High Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the Badlapur incident in which two minor girls in Grade 4 were sexually assaulted in the school in August.

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The committee will be headed by Dr. Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi and will be co-chaired by Sadhana S Jadhav. Both of them are retired judges of the Bombay High Court. The other members consist of renowned retired IPS officer Meeran Borwankar, educationists, psychologist, NGO representatives and bureaucrats. The committee will invite the Special Director General of Police for protection of women against atrocities, for the meetings.

The high-level committee has been mandated to review the government decisions for children’s safety taken from time to time. It will also review the safety measures in the schools, in surrounding areas of the schools and during the travel to the schools.

Most importantly, it will give recommendations for the effective implementation of POCSO Act and any legislation for children’s safety brought about thereafter.

The Maharashtra government had formed a committee on August 23, soon after the Badlapur incident to look into the safety of the anganwadi, pre-primary and secondary school students. When the Bombay High Court had taken a suo motu cognisance of the matter, the government had informed the court about the formation of this committee. Thereafter, the Bombay High Court had directed the State government on September 3 to reconstitute the committee to expand its scope and the number of members.

Published - September 20, 2024 01:10 am IST