Srinagar, Feb 25: In wake of the reopening of schools in Srinagar city, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu on Thursday chaired a crucial meeting with heads of prominent educational institutions and representatives of the School Education Department and reviewed the initiates to be taken for ensuring strict adherence on Covid-19 SOPs.

During the meeting with concerned stakeholders, several instructions were given to be strictly followed including maintenance of Covid-19 SOPs, social distancing, installation of wash points within schools, wearing of face masks, conducting thermal checking of students, staff members and visitors.

Mayor at the occasion impressed upon stakeholders to ensure sanitization and fumigation drives with the use of safe chemicals before educational activities in the schools to be resumed. He emphasized the establishment of isolation rooms in case any student or staff member found virus-infected so that it would be an easy job for health experts to contain the infected person. He also stressed the need of designating protocol officers in each educational institute so that these officers will act as liaison with SMC and other health institutions.

In the meeting, it was discussed the School Education Department shall supervise the process of opening of schools and ensure proper safety measures before re-opening.

“All the Educational institutions shall maintain Health & Sanitation standards and It shall be ensured that the teaching/non- teaching staff gets tested for COVID-19 before the opening of schools,” Mattu said.

The SMC Mayor also stressed upon the Solid Waste Management Officer to maintain protocol. “SMC shall share the Solid Waste Management guidelines with the Educational institutions who shall maintain proper protocol of attendance and transportation of respective schools,” Mayor added.

He further said the Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic), Regional Transport Officer shall see if some relaxation is provided to the transporters operating in the schools concerning revalidation/ renewal of documents. However, there shall be no compromise on the insurance of vehicles.

At the occasion, directions were also passed that the Chief Medical Officer Srinagar shall constitute a dedicated team of officers to supervise the functioning of schools as per COVID-19 protocol.

The Joint Commissioner (Works)/ Nodal Officer, Swachh Bharat Mission was directed to ensure that the CT/PT’s constructed in Amira Kadal, Nawa Kadal, Jawahar Nagar and other educational institutions are opened before 1st March 2021.