By A Staff Reporter. Photograph by Azad Shrivastav
State Education Minister Vinod Tawde, said, at the disaster management meeting he conducted yesterday in the city, that in the event of heavy rains, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will take a call regarding holidays for schools and colleges.
He was quoted as saying that the BMC was in a better position to take the call as the disaster management unit knew better about the intensity of the rain and the water logging situations. “Officials of the disaster management cell of the BMC will hold a meeting in the morning at 5 am (on a day of heavy rain) and will decide by 6 am whether holiday should be declared for all schools, including those affiliated to CBSE, ICSE board, and colleges or not. All schools will have to follow directives of this cell,” Tawde said. He was also reported as saying that the state government would set up a coordination committee comprising officers who were from various agencies with the purpose of tackling monsoon emergencies.
Tawde had faced heavy criticism for declaring holidays for schools close to noon the past two days, that saw heavy rainfall. As most schools start early mornings, Tawde's late precautionary holiday did not manage to provide relief to students who were already in their respective institutions.