DLSA urged to hold awareness seminars to prevent ragging

Nellore: The Parents Association of Andhra Pradesh appealed to the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to organise awareness seminars in the private educational institutions to prevent ragging, suicides of students and mental stress there. They handed over a representation on Monday and requested to visit educational institutions periodically that do not have basic amenities, teaching, and facilities, conduct an inquiry and issue directions accordingly.

They said proper care should be taken to protect the mental and physical health and safety of the students studying in various educational institutions and their affiliated hostels in the district. They expressed concern over reports of sexual harassment and suicides by students. Association leaders appealed for conducting awareness seminars under the aegis of the District Legal Cell Authority to prevent ragging and suicides of students in educational institutions.

Though the education department has asked the concerned State and district-level education department officials to conduct an inquiry and act as per the norms on the maintenance of educational institutions in crowded areas, commercial complexes, residential houses and apartments where there is no security, no proper ventilation and playgrounds for basic amenities, no safety from fire and playgrounds, no action has been taken till now, they explained.

Hostels and PG hostels affiliated to private schools and colleges in the district were being run in complexes without government permission, without protection and security, they mentioned in the representation, they said.