E-Paper
Staff not fully vaccinated, management of four Mohali schools booked
The four schools -- Jitender Veer Sarvhitkari Model Senior Secondary School, Sector-71, DAV Model Senior Secondary School, Kurali, and Manav Mangal Smart World, Zirakpur, and Delhi World Public School, Zirakpur, have also been ordered to close till further instructions.
The managements of four schools in Mohali have been booked for non-compliance to Covid-safety protocols after the staff was found to be not fully vaccinated, during a special inspection drive on Wednesday. The four schools -- Jitender Veer Sarvhitkari Model Senior Secondary School, Sector-71, DAV Model Senior Secondary School, Kurali, and Manav Mangal Smart World, Zirakpur, and Delhi World Public School, Zirakpur, have also been ordered to close till further instructions.
Deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan said that after reports of Covid spread in schools emerged from Ludhiana, the Mohali administration decided to go full throttle to ensure 100% vaccination of the school staff. He said teams of the district administration, led by the sub-divisional magistrates of three sub-divisions, conducted surprise checks at the schools in the respective areas.
“At Jitender Veer Sarvhitkari Model Senior Secondary School, Sector-71, where the team led by Mohali SDM Harbans Singh visited, it was found that the principal, Kavita Attri, had not taken a single dose of the Covid vaccine. The sweeper and babysitter too are unvaccinated while seven other teachers have got only a single dose so far. Records of the Smart Wonders’ School were found appropriate,” said the DC.
In Kharar, where SDM Aakash Bansal led the inspection, 18 staff members of DAV Model Senior Secondary School, Kurali, had got only a single dose. It was also found that 80% of the students were in attendance for physical classes, even as only 50% strength is allowed in view of the social distancing requirements.
The Dera Bassi SDM conducted checking at two schools -- Manav Mangal Smart School, Zirakpur, and Delhi World Public School, Zirakpur. He said 52 staff members of Manav Mangal Smart School and 27 of Delhi World Public School have received only a single dose of the Covid vaccine.
Dayalan said police have been directed to take stern action against the erring schools as they have put the safety of children at stake. He added, “We will start a special campaign to check the schools staff’s vaccination status. I have even directed the district education officer to check government schools to ensure that all staff members are vaccinated. We will not allow any school to function unless its teachers and other staff are fully vaccinated.”
On the directions of the DC, police registered a case against the management of four erring schools under Sections 188 (disobedience to order promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life,), 270 (malignantly does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act.
