Parents refuse to send children to school used as a temporary morgue: Odisha train tragedy

Parents of students at a school in Bahanaga are refusing to allow their children to return to the premises following the tragic Balasore train accident. The school, which was hastily transformed into a temporary morgue to accommodate the bodies of the accident victims, has sparked fear and unease among parents. The school management committee has now appealed to the government to demolish the 65-year-old building of Bahanaga High School, located near the Bahanaga Bazar railway station, citing its age as the reason.

Pramila Swain, the headmistress of Bahanaga High School, expressed that the young children are scared to return to the school. In an effort to alleviate their fears, the school has planned to organize spiritual programs and conduct rituals. Swain also mentioned that some senior students and National Cadet Corps (NCC) members had actively participated in the rescue operation.

Following the incident, the School and Mass Education Department directed Balasore collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb to visit the school. After meeting with the headmistress and staff, Bhausaheb discovered that there is a unanimous desire to demolish the old building and construct a new one.

One member of the school committee informed the collector that the children had seen on television that the dead bodies were stored in the school building, which caused them to feel apprehensive about returning on June 16.

Although the school premises were sanitized after the bodies were moved to Bhubaneswar, parents and children remain in a state of panic. Previously, the school committee had only permitted the bodies to be kept in three classrooms, but due to the need for identification, the district administration had to utilize the open hall for this purpose.

To address the concerns of students and parents, the District Education Officer (DEO), Bishnu Charan Sutar, organized a meeting. Sutar assured everyone that no student would be left out of school and emphasized the contributions made by the school and the local community during the rescue and relief operations. The District Collector has urged the school committee to pass a resolution calling for the demolition of the old building and its handover to the government. He also highlighted that the school building, often used as a shelter during floods, could be renovated under a transformation program.

Efforts are underway to address the fears and anxieties of the students and parents affected by the tragic incident. The goal is to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment while considering the concerns raised by the community.