Goa Congress targets state's Education dept for orders 'violating' Disaster Management Act

The state Congress has hit out at the education department for issuing orders that have "violated" the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

"The Director of Education Vandana Rao has violated the Disaster Management Act, 2005. She is punishable for completely overruling the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs and should be punished under section 188 of IPC," Vithu Moraskar, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) spokesperson said.

Congress said that the circular issued by Education Director Vandana Rao on March 26 stated that parents of students from respective schools in their talukas should submit bank details such as account number along with IFSC Code under the Midday Meal Scheme.

The government order was revised according to the circular dated April 29. It asked for additional details like the name of the bank, branch and MICR code. The circular was issued by Assistant Director Manoj Sawaikar.

"It has been seen that parents along with students gathered in schools to give the details without maintaining social distancing," Moraskar said in a release.

"The teachers have been slogging it out though it is a lockdown. They are serving the nation by going on surveys and ration shops risking themselves. The Director of Education Vandana Rao should leave her air-conditioned office and go to the ration shops and experience the hardships and risks that the teachers face," he added.

Moraskar further added that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should remind Rao that she is a government servant.

"Since she has joined as the Director of the education department, she has literally taken the education department 10 years back," he added. 

-ANI

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