The Odisha government on June 9 announced to demolish and reconstruct a portion of Bahanaga High School that was used as makeshift mortuary to preserve corpses of people who lost lives in June 2 deadly train accident involving Coromandel Express.
The decision was taken in view of the reservations of teachers, parents and students who were opposed to continuation of education on the same campus as the images of deaths and injuries left an indelible stamp in their minds.
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Due to proximity of the school with accident site, four different classrooms were primarily converted into temporary assembly points. The 65-year-old school is just 500 metres from the site. The district administration had immediately sanitised the schools. It had, however, not fully repel the fear from the mind of parents and students.
Senior officials including Chief Secretary P. K. Jena, 5T Secretary V. K. Pandian and School and Mass Education Secretary held consultation with school management committee, teachers, students and elected representatives of panchayati raj system.
“Since the incident was still fresh in the minds of the students, teachers and parents, they were still in a state of shock. Emphasising on the mental health of students, primary and elementary buildings would be razed and reconstructed,” said Chief Minister’s Office in a statement.
Balasore district magistrate Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, who had visited the school and interacted with parents on Thursday, said, “during consultation, two students got up and said they were using one of the rooms as dining hall. Blood strains could be seen on bench and desk. It made the government take decision to raze five to six classrooms.”
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Incidentally, the school management committee had earlier submitted a resolution urging the government to take steps for development the school, Mr. Shinde said, dismissing the reports that superstition about possible fear of ghost was basis of razing school buildings.
The district administration would immediately release ₹8 lakh which is required to complete a building which is nearing completion. The district collector said hoped to complete the building before summer vacation is over.
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