The Local Self-Government department (LSGD) has issued guidelines for roof construction and fitness certificates for school and anganwadi buildings, ahead of the beginning of the new academic year.
Non-asbestos high impact polypropylene-reinforced cement corrugated sheets of 6 mm thickness can be used for roofing of new school and anganwadi buildings. Private school buildings can also use non-asbestos sandwich sheets.
False ceiling has to be used for school or anganwadi buildings with tin or aluminium sheets from the next academic year.
Ceiling fan also has to be installed. Fitness certificates can be issued with leniency in Fire and Safety norms for buildings for which construction work had begun before the new building rules came into force in 2019 and work was completed after 2019.
As per the amendments to the Kerala Building Rules made in 2019, no-objection certificate has to be obtained from the Fire and Rescue Services department for buildings above 1,000 square metre. As such a condition did not exist before 2019, the buildings before that period were not constructed as per these norms. The latest order was issued considering this issue.
In 2019, the Kerala High Court had banned the use of asbestos sheets for roofing considering the health issues that children could face, and had stipulated a time period of two years to replace existing sheets. The Child Rights Commission also ordered the removal of tin, aluminium, and asbestos sheets.
Minister for Local Self Governments M.V. Govindan directed all local bodies to ensure the safety of students. He also asked local bodies to make creative interventions in the development activities of schools, in waste management and in organising Praveshanotsavam.
