All government schools will soon get fire extinguishers in Bangalore

 All state government primary and secondary schools will soon have fire extinguishers. The state department of public instructions has decided to provide at least one fire emergency equipment to each school. This proposal, already accepted by the finance department, will cost the state approximately Rs12 crore.

Principal secretary in the state department of primary and secondary education, Dr RG Nadadur said, “The finance department usually takes a while to approve projects, but this one was considered as a special case, and they agreed to release the amount at the earliest.”

The decision to equip every school with fire-fighting equipment was taken after a recent circular issued by the education department to all schools in the state, including privately-run ones, to ensure the safety of children. “Before imposing anything on private institutions, we need to follow it in government schools. That is why we have decided to supply fire extinguishers to all state government schools,” said Nadadur. The primary and secondary education department is also planning to train all teachers in handling situations of emergency.

The Supreme Court had asked all states to submit an assurance of the safety of children in school while hearing a writ application filed in the aftermath of the fire in a school at Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, in July 2004. The thatch roof of the school had caught fire as food was being cooked.