Alipurduar dist admin takes spl measures to ensure students’ safety

Alipurduar: Ahead of the upcoming Secondary examinations, set to begin on February 10, the Alipurduar district administration has implemented special measures to safeguard candidates travelling through forest-adjacent areas from potential wild animal attacks.

A crucial meeting was held at the Dooars Kanya District Administrative Building, attended by officials from the district administration, Jaldapara Forest Division, Buxa Tiger Reserve, state transport, police and fire departments. The meeting focused on finalising safety plans to ensure smooth and secure transportation for students traveling to examination centres located near forested regions.

Alipurduar District Magistrate, R Vimala, reassured: “The administration is committed to ensuring the safety and convenience of students attending secondary examinations across all centres.” Under the safety plan, students residing in forest-village areas will be provided with free transport to the examination centres. The vehicles will be staffed by skilled forest workers to ensure safety during the commute. Additionally, forest personnel will be stationed along roads in forest-adjacent towns, where wildlife such as leopards, bison and elephants are common. In case of an emergency, the fire brigade and disaster management teams will be on standby for immediate response. The Health department has also been instructed to be ready to offer immediate medical assistance if necessary.

Praveen Kaswan, Divisional Forest Officer of Jaldapara Forest Division, stated: “We have made extensive preparations to ensure that secondary exam candidates can travel safely from their homes to the exam centres and back. A quick response team has been deployed to address any wildlife encounters and we remain vigilant throughout the examination period.”