Kashmir unrest: Officials decide on steps to prevent burning of schools
Government officials of India's northmost state of Jammu and Kashmir today held a high-level meeting over burning of schools in the Valley and came up with steps to enhance vigil and lay down a directive to police to speed up investigation, PTI reported.
"In response to the directions of J&K High Court, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan today chaired a high level meeting convened to adopt the measures to be taken to prevent school buildings from fire incidents, besides to ensure smooth conduct of examinations," PTI reported an official spokesman as saying.
The J&K high court yesterday took suo moto notice of the burning of schools by "mysterious enemies" and directed the state government officials to take steps for preventing such incidents.
Khan directed all the deputy commissioners to submit the list of schools falling under their jurisdiction to the IGP and to his office and asked the education department officials to constitute a committee of teachers, numberdars, chowkidars and contingent paid employees for keeping vigil to protect school buildings.
The IGP said that the examination centers in the state would be provided adequate security, especially during night hours.
He directed all the SSPs to speed up investigation into burning of school buildings. Around 27 schools were burnt in the conflict.
The Centre has told the Jammu and Kashmir government to make efforts to resume studies hit for over four months due to the ongoing unrest.
(WION with inputs from agencies)