PATNA: The timely intervention of authorities in Bihar's East Champaran district averted a major incident on Wednesday after a poisonous substance was discovered in the water tank of a government middle school. Their swift action ensured the safety of around 300 enrolled students.
The incident occurred at the Government Middle School in Koela Belwa, under Chakia block in Bihar's East Champaran district. Around 9 am, school principal Prem Narayan suspected foul play after detecting a strange odor in the tap water, which is primarily used by students. He immediately alerted teachers, non-teaching staff, and students, instructing them to avoid using the water as it appeared to be contaminated.
Later he found a wrapper of Salfas poison tables near the water tank. He immediately informed the police and Mukhiya of the panchayat. The midday meal was not cooked for the students as a precautionary measure as the tap water was not fit for consumption. The news spread like wildfire in the village and several residents assembled at the school.
Deputy superintendent of police, Chakia, Satyendra Kumar Singh said that a police team reached the school and collected samples of the contaminated water. "It will be sent to the forensic laboratory for testing," he said. A complaint has been lodged at Chakita police station against the unidentified people. "Had the school principal not used his presence of mind, several students would have consumed water containing poison," he told this reporter over phone.
As a precautionary measure, the contaminated water was discharged from the tank, and school authorities were asked to avoid using it for the time being. They were also told to arrange alternative sources of potable water for the students, he added.
The incident has reminded people of the Gandaman incident in which 23 school students aged below 15 years died after eating a mid-day meal in July 2013. The meal contained pesticides, which proved fatal for the minor children who lost their lives due to the negligence of the school principal. Midday meal is served to school children free of cost.