Kolkata: To reduce the risk of stray dog attacks on schoolchildren, the Paschim Banga Samagra Shiksha Mission (PBSSM) has issued a fresh advisory suggesting that schools across Bengal feed stray dogs outside campus premises once a day, at a fixed time in the afternoon. Issued on June 20, the new advisory outlined various safety protocols to protect students from stray dog-related incidents. The update was prompted in part by a letter from animal rights activist and Member of Parliament (MP) Maneka Sanjay Gandhi. The advisory suggests that one individual, preferably a member of the Mid-Day Meal Self-Help Group (MDM-SHG) staff, be entrusted with the responsibility. Officials believe the initiative will not only help prevent attacks but also foster empathy among students.
In addition to the feeding arrangement, the advisory further recommends establishing district-level convergence with the District Office of the Animal Resource Development Department for the sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs near school campuses. However, the directive has drawn criticism from teachers’ bodies, who argue that the burden of implementation is being unfairly shifted onto schools. “Who will determine how many dogs each school must feed, and will there be extra funding for this? The government must not place the entire responsibility on schools,” said Kinkar Adhikari, general secretary of the Shikshanuragi Aikya Mancha. Animesh Halder of the Secondary Teachers and Employees Association added: “Fostering kindness is important, but the government must first prioritise increasing honorariums for mid-day meal workers, building boundary walls, developing playgrounds and libraries, and improving overall school infrastructure. Otherwise, the education system itself will suffer.”