Declare School Holidays in Rain-Hit Areas of Poonch: BADC .
Jammu, 21/July : The Jammu and Kashmir Border Area Development Conference (JK-BADC), a registered organization working for the welfare of border and tribal communities of J&K, has urged the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Education Officer of Poonch to declare holidays in schools and colleges situated in the rain-affected areas of the border district.
In a statement, the organization expressed concern over the challenges faced by students, parents, and teachers in accessing educational institutions due to incessant rainfall and landslides.
“Anyone familiar with the demography and geography of Poonch knows that a majority of our schools are located on hills, slopes and near seasonal Nallahs (water bodies). During the rainy season, the risk of landslides and flash flood is high, and roads often remain closed, making it extremely difficult and unsafe to reach schools. In the best public interest, it is imperative that holidays are declared for at least a week or a fortnight in the worst-affected areas,” said Dr. Shazad Ahmad Malik, Chairman of JK-BADC and former Vice Chancellor.
He emphasized that the government and district administration must act in a timely and sensitive manner. “They should have proactively declared holidays in these institutions. We cannot compromise the safety of our children and teachers. Human life is paramount.”
Dr. Shazad urged the Deputy Commissioner of Poonch, in consultation with the Chief Education Officer, to assess the situation across various affected zones and issue appropriate directions for temporary closure of educational institutions to prevent any untoward.
