Srinagar, July 19: A Week long Capacity Building Workshop on ‘Safer Schools’ organised by Department of Geography & Regional Development, University of Kashmir in collaboration with Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP), Government of J &K and Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction (IRDR), University College London (UCL), UK, concluded here on Friday .
A valedictory function in this regard was organised which was attended by Dr. Nisar A. Mir , Registrar, KU, Prof. G. M. Sangmi , Dean College Development Council KU and Prof. M. Sultan Bhat , Dean School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, KU.
During the week long workshop it was highlighted by the experts that based on surveys 80 percent of the schools in Kashmir division lack basic facilities like electricity, safe drinking water, and sanitary facilities thus making them vulnerable to different type of disasters.
Besides this, a significant number of schools in different districts of Kashmir valley have been constructed on the banks of rivers, under chinar trees, near wild life sanctuaries and enclosures, under railway bridges, steep slopes with ensuing danger of landslides and HT lines thus making them highly vulnerable to multiple disaster risks.
“Recommendations of the workshop will be submitted to the Directorate of School Education, J&K as inputs for policy formulation in the context of school safety measures,” said Prof. M. Sultan Bhat, Dean School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, KU.
The resource persons for the various technical sessions of the workshop were eminent experts from, IRDR, UCL, London, National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), New Delhi, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar and University of Kashmir.
The focus of the workshop has been the capacity building of the concerned stakeholders to prepare a pool of the skilled trainers for the schools at the grass root level.
