Students take class in bunker in Jammu's Arnia sector amid cross-border shelling
Arnia(J-K) (PTI): In the aftermath of major ceasefire violation by Pakistan, a group of students from a government middle school near the border town of Arnia on Friday attended classes in an underground bunker built in its complex.
According to the school management, the decision to hold temporary classes inside the bunker in Suhagpura, one of the last villages two kms from Arnia town, was taken this morning to address the concern of the parents following heavy shelling by Pakistan last night.
The cross-border shelling and firing by Pakistan Rangers, the first major ceasefire violation since 2021, started around 8 pm Thursday in the Arnia area of R S Pura sector and lasted for around seven hours, leaving a BSF personnel and a woman injured.
"The school falls within the range of Pakistani shelling and most of the 50-odd students did not turn up in view of the tense situation. However, those who did were accommodated inside the underground bunker within the school premises," Anju Seth, a teacher from the school, said. In all, 15 students took classes in bunker.
She said the school got numerous phone calls from the panic-stricken parents since morning. "We told them that it was their call whether they wanted to send their wards to the school, and that the management had decided to hold the classes in the bunker for the safety of the students for the time being."
Sethi said the government has built underground bunkers for the border residents for a purpose and "we are using the facility for the benefit of the children."
Himankshi Devi, a class 8 student, said her family decided to move to a safer place after the heavy shelling by Pakistan.
"We were frightened by the shelling but I motivated them to stay back. I want to attend my school otherwise my studies will get impacted," she said, adding, "my fear was gone when I reached the school and our classes shifted to an underground bunker."
Her classmate Shravan Kumar, who wants to be a soldier, said he will continue to go to school, come what may.
"Ceasefire or no ceasefire, life on the border will continue, so we have to adjust with the situation and ensure that we do not miss our classes," he said.
Nidhi, also a class 8 student, said she wants to join the police force and staying home serves no purpose.
"We used to attend our classes in underground bunkers some five years back when there were frequent ceasefire violations. We have enjoyed peace on the border since and hope there is no more firing so that we can attend our classes normally," she said.
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Gehlot changes profile pic to 'Save Aravalli', asks Centre to reconsider definition
Jaipur (PTI): Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday urged the Centre to reconsider its definition of the Aravallis, warning that any damage to the mountain range posed a serious threat to the ecological future of north India.
Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, changed his social media profile picture in support of the nationwide 'SaveAravalli' campaign amid growing debate over mining and environmental safeguards in the Aravalli Range.
It was his symbolic protest against the new interpretation under which hills lower than 100 metres are no longer being recognised as part of the Aravalli system, he said.
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"The Aravalli cannot be judged by tape measures or height alone. It must be assessed by its ecological importance," Gehlot said, adding that the revised definition raised "a big question" over the future of north India.
Appealing to the Centre and the Supreme Court, Gehlot said the issue must be reconsidered in the interest of future generations and environmental security. He also urged citizens to participate in the campaign by changing their display pictures online to draw attention to the issue.
He said the Aravalli range functioned as a natural green wall against the expansion of the Thar desert and extreme heatwaves, protecting Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Opening up smaller hills and so-called gap areas for mining would allow desertification to advance rapidly, he warned.
Gehlot also flagged concerns over air pollution, saying the hills and forests of the Aravallis acted as the "lungs" of the National Capital Region by checking dust storms and absorbing pollutants.
"When pollution levels are so alarming even with the Aravalli standing, one can imagine how disastrous the situation will be without it," he said.
Highlighting the water crisis, the former chief minister said the rocky terrain of the Aravallis played a crucial role in groundwater recharge by channelising rainwater underground.
"If the hills are destroyed, drinking water shortages will intensify, wildlife will disappear and the entire ecology will be pushed into danger," he said.
Gehlot argued that, from a scientific perspective, the Aravallis was a continuous chain and that even smaller hillocks were as vital as higher peaks.
