Maharashtra to launch disaster management programme for schools

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has decided to initiate holocaust management programme in schools from this academic year. Taking cue from the Centre's National School Safety Programme, both teachers and students will be trained to tackle natural calamities like earthquakes and floods.

On a preliminary basis, an official from the state's disaster management cell said that over 200 schools in Pune and an equal number in the Satara district have already received training on how to tackle natural calamities."We will focus on both the teachers and students of 100 schools in each district from the academic year starting June. The entire state will be covered in the next three-four years."

Suhas Diwase, Director of the state's disaster management cell said, “Under the programme, teachers and students will be informed about the causes and effects of natural disasters, the do’s and don'ts, mock drills will be orchestrated and the children will be made to develop a disaster management plan.”

“The students will be asked to identify natural calamities. Exercising material will be provided as part of their homework. They will also be taught how to cushion the menace in case of an emergency," he said, adding that the district collectors will only be required to monitor the implementation of the programme in schools as the material required has already been dispatched to them for the next academic year.

He also said that the government is also planning to introduce disaster management lessons in school textbooks as well."We will work on our idea this year. From next year, we will start implementing it," he said.