Delhi govt keeps transfer orders of 5,000 school teachers in abeyance after LG's directive
New Delhi (PTI): Acting on the orders of Lt Governor V K Saxena, the Delhi government on Monday directed that the transfer of 5,000 school teachers, who have been posted in the same school for more than 10 years, be kept in abeyance.
Saxena on Sunday asked Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to keep the transfer orders in abeyance as an interim measure after a delegation of Delhi BJP leaders and representatives of teachers met the LG in his office.
Addressing a press conference here, Delhi Education minister Atishi, however, alleged a conspiracy by the BJP behind the transfer orders.
"Our government in Delhi has transformed government schools in the last 10 years. The results of students studying here have set records. BJP could not digest this change and hence a conspiracy was hatched to transfer teachers to ruin this education revolution," she charged.
She also congratulated the people of Delhi on the orders being withdrawn.
"Today Delhi's teachers and Delhiites have won. Teachers, students and their parents were worried after this transfer order. I had promised the teachers, students and parents that we will not let Delhi's education revolution go to waste.
"I am happy that today BJP had to withdraw this order through its LG. Today, Delhi teachers and Delhiites have won," she added.
In an official order, the education department said it had received several representations in the matter of the recent transfer orders issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE), pertaining to teachers who have continued for more than 10 years in the same school.
"After going through the representations and listening to the delegations, the competent authority has decided to constitute an appropriate committee, comprising representatives of all stakeholders and experts, so as to take a holistic, sympathetic and fair view in the matter," it said.
"Therefore, till further orders, the transfer orders of teachers issued on 02.07.2024 are kept in abeyance. Postings of all such teachers are restored as on 01.07.2024," it said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and MLA Dilip Pandey echoed similar views as Atishi and demanded action against officers who were behind the transfer orders.
"Somewhere in this matter, errors were committed by officers. Despite directions from Education Minister Atishi, they were involved in issuing the orders. I would request Atishi to identify these officers and action should be taken against them," he said.
A circular titled 'Online requests for transfer of teaching staff of the Directorate of Education' issued by the DoE on June 11 directed all teachers who have served for more than 10 years in one school to compulsorily apply for a transfer.
Failing which they will be transferred to any school by the DoE, according to the circular.
A few days back, Atishi had instructed the chief secretary to immediately stop the mandatory transfer of the teachers who have been teaching in the same school for more than 10 years, following allegations of corruption in the transfer process.
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Maldivian military diver dead while searching for bodies of four Italian divers
Colombo (AP): A Maldivian military diver died Saturday while searching for the bodies of four Italian divers believed to be deep inside an underwater cave.
The group of five Italian divers is believed to have died while exploring a cave at a depth of about 50 metres in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, according to Italy's Foreign Ministry. The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30 metres.
Maldives Presidential Spokesman Mohammed Hussain Shareef said that Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defence Force, died of underwater decompression sickness after being transferred to a hospital in the capital.
“The death goes to show the difficulty of the mission,” he said.
Earlier, Shareef said the searchers had prepared a plan based on their progress exploring the cave on Friday. Mahudhee was part of the group that briefed Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on the rescue plan when he visited the search site on Friday.
Rough weather has repeatedly hampered rescue efforts.
The Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said everything possible would be done to bring the victims home. His ministry stated it was coordinating with Divers Alert Network, a specialist diving organisation, to support recovery operations and the repatriation of the bodies. The cause of the deaths remains under investigation.
The victims have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, an associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, according to the Maldivian government.
Benedetti's body was recovered on Thursday.
Montefalcone and Oddenino were in the Maldives on an official scientific mission to monitor marine environments and study the effects of climate change on tropical biodiversity, the University of Genoa said in a statement Friday. However, the scuba diving activity during which the deadly accident occurred was not part of the planned research and was “undertaken privately,” it said.
The statement also said the two other victims — student Sommacal and recent graduate Gualtieri — were not involved in the scientific mission.
Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialised training, equipment and strict safety protocols. Risks increase sharply in environments where divers cannot head straight up and at depth, particularly when conditions are poor.
Experts say it's easy to become disoriented or lost inside caves, particularly as sediment clouds can sharply reduce visibility.
Diving at 50 metres also exceeds the maximum depth recommended for recreational divers by most major established scuba certifying agencies, with depths beyond 40 metres considered technical diving and requiring specialised training and equipment.
Shareef said Benedetti's body was found near the mouth of the cave and authorities believed the remaining four had entered the cave.
Two Italians, a deep-sea rescue expert and a cave diving expert, are expected to join the recovery effort, Shareef said.
Italian officials said that around 20 other Italians on the same expedition aboard the vessel “Duke of York” were safe. Italy's embassy in Colombo was providing assistance to those onboard and had contacted the Red Crescent, which offered to deploy volunteers to help provide psychological aid.
The Maldives tourism ministry said it has suspended the operating license of the “Duke of York” pending an investigation.
The Italian foreign ministry said the cave is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Recovery teams explored two of the three chambers on Friday, but the search was limited due to considerations over oxygen and decompression.
On Saturday, they will explore the third chamber, the ministry added.
Italian officials and the honourary consul are in contact with the victims' families to provide assistance.
