Male Teacher At Nashik School Bars Menstruating Girls From Planting Trees, Inquiry Ordered

A tribal girl student at a state-run boarding facility in Maharashtra¡¯s Nashik district has alleged a male teacher stopped her and other menstruating girls from planting trees during a plantation drive, prompting the Tribal Development Department to order an inquiry.

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In her complaint, the class 12th science faculty student claimed that the teacher had told her and others that trees would not grow and burn if girls with periods planted them.

The girl is a student of the Secondary and Higher Secondary Ashram School for Girls at Devgaon in Trimbakeshwar taluka.

¡®Will record statements of all¡¯

The Tribal Development Department (TDD) official confirmed that they had received the complaint.

¡°We will record statements of all, including the students from the girl's class, teachers, the superintendent, and the principal, and conduct an inquiry,¡± additional commissioner Sandeep Golait said.

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Nashik district¡¯s additional collector and TDD project officer, Varsha Meena, met the girl at the school and asked about her problems.

The complainant stated the teacher had asked girls having menstruation to avoid planting trees during the plantation drive held last week on the school premises. The school has 500 girl students.

UGP test made compulsory

The girl also approached Bhagwan Madhe, Nashik district secretary of Shramjeevi Sanghatna. Madhe said the girl couldn't oppose the male teacher as he was her class teacher and had threatened her that 80% of her assessment marks were in the hands of school authorities.

She claimed the school had also made the Urine Pregnancy Test (UGP) compulsory for admission, though no such rule existed.

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Madhe said he spoke to Golait and submitted a memorandum against the teacher concerned at the Adivasi Vikas Bhavan in Nashik with the girl on Tuesday.

¡°The teacher used to taunt the complainant and other girls. Students at the school have other complaints as well, such as the unavailability of warm water to bathe and mattresses to sleep on," he said.

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