SRINAGAR: Following the publication of Kashmir Times’ report titled "Handwara Mishap Calls Gaps in Student Safety Protocols in J&K Into Question", which investigated systemic lapses in transport and excursion management for students, the J&K Government has announced a complete ban on school and college picnics on weekends and holidays. The timing of the policy response—coming just days after the report's release—strongly suggests administrative acknowledgment of the issues raised.
The story was among the first and only in-depth pieces to pivot from a tragic incident to a broader investigation into unregulated student transport, lack of school-level audits, and repeated excursion-related fatalities. The report also included an infographic timeline and sourced data pointing to patterns in past incidents.
While a direct causation cannot be officially claimed, the alignment of the report’s publication and the government’s immediate action indicates that journalistic scrutiny played a significant role in amplifying public and administrative focus on student safety.
This reinforces the importance of investigative reporting in catalyzing reform and echoes Kashmir Times’ long-standing editorial commitment to public interest journalism.
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