Schools warn parents about the dangers of chasing Pokemons

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Ankita G Menon ankita.g@dnaindia.net

Vashi: Pokemon Go is an augmented virtual reality game, based on the cartoon series Pokemon — a craze among 90s kids. Teenagers and youngsters are getting addicted to this game and as it involves moving around empty places, it has proved to be fatal. The fervour for this game has led to advertisements on Facebook about various pokewalks to be organised in the city. Individuals have been coming together in groups to search for pokemons. Some students have even been downloading the old Cartoon Network series or watching it online to renew knowledge about the game. While the craze for the gaming app motivates the youngsters to catch more Pokemon or locate yet another Poke stop, the alert city parents and schools are educating their children to play the game in a responsible manner. “My son just gets up and leaves, all the while staring at his smart phone to search for a Pokemon. And as road accidents have increased, my husband keeps telling him to play the game in a responsible manner. We only allow our son to play the game in our neighbourhood where traffic is less. We also ensure that when he plays the game, his friends are around to keep an eye on him,” said Juhi Mukherjee, a banker and mother of a 19-year old teenager. “We do not want to give it undue attention but we also want students to know there could be a problem if they get addicted to the game. Teachers in my school have been talking about it in morning assemblies and have told parents to speak to their children about it’s hazards,” said Jessy Jose, principal, Tilak International School. Those who are addicted to this exciting game, refuse to give up. But many of them have decided to take precautions too. Varun Jha, 15, who’s a fan of the game, said, “Increase in freak mishaps involving Pokemon Go is the result of irresponsibility and not the fault of the gaming app. The app clearly cautions the players to stay away from dangerous zones and play the game in safe enclosed areas. One has to pay heed.” Some Shiv Sena members have opposed this game in India and are requesting schools or the education department to warn students, “Until one moves, the game does not begin and therefore while moving from one place to another we find people are completely lost playing the game. They never bother to check as well what is there ahead of them on the road. It is important that school students be informed about what can happen while one is playing the game without being aware of the surroundings. It can happen that students may go out playing the game at night as well, which can be further unsafe. Ideally this should be done in all schools in the city but we must at least begin with municipal schools,” said one of the Shiv Sena candidates.

Published Date:  Aug 18, 2016