logo
Rajasthan govt announces closure of unsafe school buildings

Rajasthan govt announces closure of unsafe school buildings

Deccan Herald29-07-2025
Two days after a portion of the Piplodi Government School in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district collapsed, killing seven children, the state government on Sunday announced a series of urgent measures, including closure and demolition of unsafe school buildings, GIS-mapping of all vulnerable structures, and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor structural safety.
School Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar, who chaired an emergency meeting with senior officials from both the departments, said a proposal of Rs 150 crore under the disaster management fund has been prepared for repair works in 7,500 schools across 170 tehsils, officials said.
The move comes amid growing concerns over the vulnerability of school infrastructure, especially during the monsoon season in southeastern Rajasthan.
Dilawar said a statewide survey is being conducted by the district collectors to identify the dilapidated school buildings.
'Buildings found to be structurally unsafe will be marked with a red cross and shut down immediately. These will be demolished on priority, and temporary classrooms using container units will be arranged as an interim solution," Dilawar said.
In a statement, the minister said the state will create a GIS-based application linked to the Shala Darpan portal to catalogue all dilapidated and repairable buildings. The platform will also integrate AI-based monitoring to assess building safety and guide budget allocations.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Devendra Fadnavis Orders Controlled Feeding Of Pigeons At 'Kabutarkhanas'
Devendra Fadnavis Orders Controlled Feeding Of Pigeons At 'Kabutarkhanas'

NDTV

time11 minutes ago

  • NDTV

Devendra Fadnavis Orders Controlled Feeding Of Pigeons At 'Kabutarkhanas'

Mumbai: Though Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis now says the "abrupt" closure of pigeon feeding sites in Mumbai was not advisable and the BMC should ensure controlled feeding of the birds, his own government ordered shutting down of such spots a month ago. The state government ordered a crackdown on 'kabutarkhanas' weeks before the Bombay High Court, in a ruling on July 30, said feeding a congregation of pigeons was an act causing a public nuisance and posed a health hazard to people, and directed the Mumbai civic body to file FIRs against persons engaging in such an activity. As the ban on feeding pigeons at public and heritage spots snowballed into a major controversy, Mr Fadnavis sought to take a more cautious and measured approach to avoid the matter ruffling more feathers ahead of the Mumbai civic body polls. After the High Court order, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials on August 3 covered the Dadar Kabutarkhana, a grade II heritage structure and the most popular pigeon feeding site in Mumbai, with a tarpaulin sheet to stop people from accessing the spot. The civic body has said it took action against 142 persons for feeding pigeons at 'kabutarkhanas' across the city and recovered a fine of Rs 68,700 from them between July 13 and August 3. On Tuesday, Mr Fadnavis said the "abrupt" closure of kabutarkhanas (pigeon feeding spots) was not advisable, and asked the BMC to ensure a "controlled feeding" of the birds. On Wednesday, protesters forcibly removed the tarpaulin put up by the city civic body to cover the Dadar Kabutarkhana. The protesters, mostly members of the Jain community, clashed with police, who tried to stop them from removing the large plastic cover put on bamboo scaffolding at the site. After cops dispersed the agitators, Mumbai suburban district guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha visited the spot and condemned the protest, saying police will take appropriate action in the matter. The kabutarkhana issue was raised by Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande in the Maharashtra legislative council on July 3 during the monsoon session. The nominated MLC had said 'kabutarkhanas' pose a danger to people living around them as their waste and feathers lead to respiratory diseases. BJP leader Chitra Wagh, another nominated member of the council, had joined the debate and said she lost her aunt due to respiratory diseases arising from pigeon waste. In an oral response, Industries Minister Uday Samant, replying on behalf of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who holds the urban development portfolio, said there were 51 'kabootarkhanas' in Mumbai. "The civic body will be asked to start (an awareness) drive against 'kabutarkhanas' within a month. Directions will be issued to the BMC to immediately start the process of shutting down kabutarkhanas," Samant had told the Upper House of the state legislature. Samant said there was a need to create awareness about the health hazards of feeding pigeons. In a written response to a question by Kayande, Shinde said unauthorised kabutarkhanas in suburban Santacruz (East), Daulat Nagar and Santacruz (West) have been shut down.

CM Naidu to launch free power, GST relief for AP weavers on National Handloom Day
CM Naidu to launch free power, GST relief for AP weavers on National Handloom Day

New Indian Express

timean hour ago

  • New Indian Express

CM Naidu to launch free power, GST relief for AP weavers on National Handloom Day

VIJAYAWADA: On National Handloom Day on Thursday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will unveil three major schemes designed to uplift Andhra Pradesh's weaving community and strengthen the handloom sector. The first initiative is a `189.62 crore free electricity scheme, which provides 200 units of free power for handlooms and 500 units for power looms. This move is expected to significantly reduce operational costs for weavers, resulting in annual savings of Rs 14,956 for handloom users and Rs 32,604 for those operating power looms. The second scheme introduces a Rs 5 crore thrift fund aimed at enhancing weaver welfare. This fund will serve as a financial cushion for artisans, helping them manage unforeseen expenses and invest in their craft with greater confidence. The third measure is a 5% GST exemption on handloom products. By removing this tax burden, the government hopes to make handloom goods more affordable for consumers, thereby boosting demand and ensuring year-round employment for weavers. Under Naidu's leadership, the coalition government has revitalised the handloom sector, which now supports over 2.5 lakh weavers and contributes to a Rs 1,374 crore industry. The government's Textile Policy is poised to create 1.51 lakh jobs through the development of MSME park units, textile parks in Emmiganur, Rayadurgam, Mylavaram, and Pamidi, and skill development programmes.

AP HC seeks SECI affidavit on solar power rates amid row over AP's 7,000 MW deal
AP HC seeks SECI affidavit on solar power rates amid row over AP's 7,000 MW deal

New Indian Express

timean hour ago

  • New Indian Express

AP HC seeks SECI affidavit on solar power rates amid row over AP's 7,000 MW deal

VIJAYAWADA: The High Court on Wednesday directed the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to submit a detailed affidavit clarifying the rates at which it supplied solar power to other States at the time the Andhra Pradesh government agreed to purchase 7,000 MW of solar power at Rs 2.49 per unit. The court also instructed SECI to provide details of orders issued by the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) in this regard. Further hearing was adjourned to September 3. The directive came during the hearing of public interest litigations (PILs) filed separately by TDP leader and current Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav and CPI State secretary K Ramakrishna. The petitioners challenged the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission's (CERC) approval for the State's power distribution companies to purchase 7,000 MW of solar power from SECI at Rs 2.49 per unit. Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas, representing the State government, informed the court that APERC had approved the purchase of solar power at a finalised rate of Rs 2.42 per unit, following the court's authorisation. He argued that the petitioners could challenge the rate if they had objections. The SECI's counsel stated that the agreement with Andhra Pradesh was for supplying 7,000 MW at Rs 2.42 per unit, while other States were supplied power at rates ranging from Rs 2.01 to Rs 2.52 per unit. The petitioners' counsel argued that Andhra Pradesh's agreement to purchase solar power at Rs 2.49 per unit was higher than the rate offered to Gujarat, where SECI supplied power at Rs 1.99 per unit.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store