Karnataka Education Department issues circular setting limits for school bag weight
Schools told to observe ‘no bag day’ once a week
Bengaluru: The Education Department of Karnataka has issued a circular, based on earlier survey reports, stating that the school bag weight may be between 1.5 kg and 5 kg, depending on the age of the child, adding that schools should have a ‘no bag day’ once a week.
Going by the report ‘Learning Without Load’ submitted by the Yashpal Verma Committee of 1993, ‘School Bag Policy 2020’ of the Central Government, the survey report submitted by the Centre for Child and the Law, the State Department of Education Research and Training as well as the recommendations of orthopaedic experts, the Education Department has said that school children may carry a maximum load of 15 per cent of their body weight.
The weights of the school bag have been set by the Education Department as 1.5 kg to 2 kg for children of Classes 1 and 2; 2 kg to 3 kg for children of Classes 3 to 5; 3 kg to 4 kg for children of Classes 6 to 8; and 5 kg for children of Classes 9 and 10. The circular adds that every school should observe a ‘no bag day’ once a week, preferably on Saturdays.
School teachers have been instructed to ensure that the study material for a day, including textbooks, does not exceed the given weight limit. The notebooks should not be more than 200 pages. Every school should have drinking water facility, to save the children from having to carry additional weight of water bottles. Parents of the students too should be made aware of the ill-effects of carrying heavy school bags, the Department has said in the circular, with a warning that stringent action would be taken against schools and teachers who violate the instruction regarding the matter.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
