Taluka-level committees to re-investigate deaths at ashramshalas

Each of the six-member taluka-level committees will have representatives from the Women and Child Welfare department, Tribal Development department, TISS, respective panchayat samiti, and Social Justice and Welfare department.

“The aim is to make these ashramshalas participatory and accountable. Besides, those ashramshalas where we find that facilities are bad, standard of education is low and norms are being flouted, will be shut down. Students of these ashramshalas will be shifted to other ashramshalas nearby. The representative of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) must take note of good facilities and practices found in ashramshalas and ensure that these are implemented in all the ashramshalas,” said an official of TDD.

Formed as per recommendations of TISS and the Bombay High Court’s order in June 2014, these committees are supposed to conduct a survey, review and submit report to the the Tribal Development Department (TDD). Commissioner of TDD, Nasik will then submit the report to TISS by January 31, 2017.

In fact after the Buldhana incident, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had ordered immediate setting up of the committees that would visit government aided and unaided ashramshalas to identify the state of affairs.

The other issues which the committees are expected to probe include whether the girl students have adequate and independent rooms to stay; whether women superintendents have been appointed for girl students’ dormitories; whether there are adequate toilet and washroom facilities for girl students; are the toilets in proper condition; is there a register maintained for visitors; do they have adequate water supply; and whether the toll-free complaint number is being used.

At present, there are 546 aided and 529 government-run ashramshalas operational under TDD. There are 2.53 lakh students in aided ashram schools and 1.93 lakh in government-run ashram schools.

The matter came to light after it was highlighted that around 1,077 deaths of students occurred in ashramshalas between 2001 and 2016. A probe committee headed by Dr Subhash Salunkhe was formed to probe these deaths. The committee in its report had mentioned that safety of students, especially girls, at the ashram shala was being compromised and had recommended urgent steps. Also it had pointed out that 793 of the 1,077 deaths in ashramshalas could have been prevented.