Gujarat SIR exercise: ‘Can non-teaching govt staff work as BLOs?’ CM Bhupendra Patel explores alternatives

Vaghani said, “On Tuesday, the CM instructed Chief Secretary (MK Das) (to check with election authorities) to have employees other than teachers or other teachers for BLO duty at places where it is found that education is getting affected. It is the prerogative of the EC. But still, the CM has instructed the CS to hold discussion with the EC, if found necessary, to have such an arrangement.”

Vaghani added that during the Cabinet meeting, CM Patel instructed all ministers to ensure that the SIR work is done in the “best manner”, such that nobody faces any difficulty in their respective areas.

Since the month-long SIR drive began in Gujarat on November 4, one BLO died of a “heart attack”, while another died allegedly by suicide.

On November 20, Rameshbhai Parmar, a schoolteacher working as a BLO in Kheda district, died of a “heart attack”, with his family attributing his death to “excessive work pressure” linked to the ongoing SIR.

The next day, another BLO, Arvind Vadher, allegedly ended his life in Gir Somnath district. His family claimed that he left behind a note citing “mental stress and exhaustion” due to his involvement in SIR-related work as the reason for taking the extreme step.