HASAN HADI /Dehradun
With the monsoon season approaching, the Dehradun district administration along with the Health and Education departments, has made special arrangements to ensure the safety of pregnant women and school students living in remote areas. The Dehradun district magistrate Ashish Chauhan said that poor road connectivity and overflowing rivers during heavy rainfall often create difficulties in such areas. Considering this, the administration has identified 47 pregnant women who require special monitoring and has also listed schools where students face risks while travelling during the monsoon.
The Health department has identified 73 villages where road connectivity is poor and access to medical facilities becomes difficult during the rains. According to official data, 47 pregnant women are currently being monitored in these areas. Among them, 35 are classified as high-risk cases, while 12 live in remote villages. So far, seven women have safely delivered their babies, while 40 are expected to give birth in the coming weeks.
Chauhan said that a control room was also set up where doctors are monitoring the health conditions of pregnant women. “I have also spoken to some pregnant women to enquire about their health and asked them what more the administration can do to support them during the monsoon season,” he said.
The district chief medical officer Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma said that July and August will be the most critical months, as around 32 deliveries are expected during this period. Special arrangements are being made to ensure timely transportation and medical assistance for pregnant women. Health workers have been directed to remain alert and maintain regular contact with families in vulnerable areas.
The administration has also focused on the safety of school children. A total of 89 schools across the district have been identified where students have to cross rivers, streams or water channels to reach their classrooms during the monsoon. The highest number of such schools is in the Sahaspur block, followed by Chakrata and Kalsi blocks.
Chauhan said under the directions of the chief minister, school management committees have been instructed to deploy teachers at sensitive crossing points during school opening and closing hours. The move is aimed at ensuring that students can travel safely even during heavy rainfall.
