Arjun taps CMs on school safety

New Delhi: The Kumbakonam school fire that charred over 90 children to death on July 16 has jolted human resource development minister Arjun Singh into action, reports our special correspondent.

Singh has written to chief ministers across the country asking them to “provide personal leadership and direction” to ensure safety in schools.

The incident, he says, has “shaken the conscience of the nation”. He has listed specific areas the chief ministers need to look at to ensure such a tragedy is not repeated.

The letters obliquely reprimand authorities who have not paid sufficient attention to schools. “It is incumbent on us to make a national resolve to ensure health and safety of our children,” Singh has written.

He also raps teachers who allegedly fled, leaving the children trapped in the burning classrooms.

“All teachers need to be sensitised to their responsibilities for the safety and well-being of their students during school hours and curricular and co-curricular activities,” says Singh.

“They also need to be equipped with adequate knowledge and wherewithal to protect their students in emergencies,” he adds.

The minister has asked the chief ministers to make sure school buildings are free from “inflammable and toxic materials” and fuel used for cooking is stored in a safe place. The Kumbakonam fire had started in the school’s kitchen where the mid-day meal was being prepared.

The letters say there should be adequate supply of water and sand for fire fighting and schools should have emergency exits. “Schools should have adequate supply of potable drinking water with appropriate chlorination whenever necessary,” they add.

Godhra accused plea dismissed

New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by an accused in the Godhra train burning case seeking quashing of his detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

A bench of Justices S.N. Variava and Arijit Pasayat said Maulavi Hussein Haji Abraham Umarji’s petition was “devoid of any merit”.

On February 27, 2002, the Sabarmati Express was torched at Godhra railway station, killing 59 passengers.

Umarji had challenged a Gujarat High Court order, which held that a court had the right to remand an accused from judicial to police custody even after the statutory period of 30 days as set out in Section 4992 of the anti-terror law.

Probe into J&K ‘encounter’

Srinagar (PTI): The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered an inquiry into the killing of two persons allegedly in a fake encounter in Anantnag district of south Kashmir on July 17.

The probe was ordered by divisional commissioner, Kashmir, Khursheed Ahmad Ganai, who met the duo’s families on Thursday.

Food poison death

Moga (PTI): An eight-year-old died and 31 children fell ill after having rice and sweets at a religious programme in the Baghapurana police station area on Thursday. The children, who complained of pain in the abdomen, were immediately rushed to hospital, police said.

Maoists sentenced

New Delhi (PTI): Two Maoists, arrested in 2001 from Old Delhi railway station with a huge quantity of explosives and some Nepalese documents, have been sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment by a Delhi court. Additional sessions judge R.K. Jain also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 each.

Barrage talks

Islamabad (PTI): India and Pakistan on Thursday exchanged views in a “very rational manner” to resolve differences over the construction of Wullar barrage in Jammu and Kashmir and hoped to achieve some consensus by Friday. Secretary at the ministry of water resources V.K. Duggal said: “We are very hopeful that whatever is decided at the end of the talks will be a step forward.”

College quota

New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has declined to stay a controversial Kerala law restricting the management quota in admissions to unaided private professional colleges to 50 per cent of the total seats in one institution.

MLA in police net

Jaipur (PTI): Lok Janshakti Party legislator Ranveer Singh Gudha was arrested on Thursday for allegedly beating up an assistant engineer of the public health and engineering department with whom he is locked in an old dispute.

A colony of deluxe tents with the latest facilities has been set up for tourists at a Gulmarg resort, 65 km from Srinagar. Tents have been erected at the bottom of a hillock in the Mughal pattern to offer a panoramic view of the resort.