Poonch, October 7: The safety of residential girl students at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) Chak Banola has come under scrutiny after the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Mendhar raised concerns over the absence of a warden at the hostel during night hours.
In a communication to the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Poonch, the ZEO stated that the present warden remains available only during school hours and does not stay at the residential facility overnight.
The concern came to the fore after a girl student staying at the hostel fell seriously ill during the night. With no warden present, the hostel chowkidar, along with some local residents, had to take the student to a hospital for medical attention.
The incident has raised questions about emergency response and the safety and supervision of students residing at the facility, particularly during night hours.
The ZEO said the issue had previously been brought to the attention of the competent authorities through communication No. ZEO/Mdr/2026/961 dated August 31, 2026. The communication had sought the replacement of the existing warden with a full-time residential warden.
However, according to the communication, the matter remains pending and immediate action has yet to be taken.
The ZEO has now urged the CEO Poonch to treat the matter as a priority and arrange for the posting of a suitable full-time warden who can remain available at the hostel throughout residential hours.
The request has been made in view of the safety, security and welfare of the girl students residing at KGBV Chak Banola.
