Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has expanded the committee formed by the state government to look into the guidelines for the safety and security of children in schools following the sexual assault on two minor girls inside school premises by a cleaning staff in Badlapur in August.
A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the incident following which there were large scale protests in Badlapur leading to even rail blockade.
The committee, to be headed by retired high court judges Sadhana Jadhav and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi, also includes retired IPS officer Meeran Borwankar. The HC has expanded the committee to include head mistresses from an urban school and a rural school, noting that the problems faced by respective schools would be different.
The committee will include Sucheta Bhawalkar, head mistress attached to Indian Education Society’s VN Sule High School, Dadar and Jaywanti Baban Sawant, principal, Sudhagad Sanstha, Hindi Prathamik Vidyalaya, Kalamboli. Also, noted psychiatrist Harish Shetty would be part of the committee.
Besides, Brian Seymour, president of ICSE and ISC pre-schools in Maharashtra and Goa (AISM), Inspector of ICSE and ISC pre-schools (India) & Safety measures of Children – 1st to 4th Standard has been included in the committee.
It has to review all existing government resolutions, guidelines and circulars issued from time to time concerning the safety and security of children in all schools, their vicinity and also during transportation. It has to recommend “future steps to enhance the safety of students”.
Further, it has to recommend steps to be taken for effective implementation of the POCSO Act and all other relevant laws. The committee has been asked to place its recommendations before the court around October 29.
