Extreme Bihar heatwave Crisis led to a distressing incident on Wednesday morning, as at least 50 students fainted at Mankaul Middle School in the Ariari block of Sheikhpura district. With temperatures soaring between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius, the school became a scene of chaos as students started collapsing due to the intense heat.
Initially, six students lost consciousness during the assembly for morning prayers, but the number quickly escalated as more students started fainting. The situation caused panic among both the students and the villagers.
Immediate efforts were made to provide the unconscious students with water and electrolytes. However, due to the delayed arrival of an ambulance, the students had to be rushed to the district’s Sadar Hospital using private vehicles such as bikes, tempos, and e-rickshaws.
School Headmaster Suresh Prasad promptly informed the public health department about the incident and requested an ambulance. The delay in its arrival, however, provoked the villagers, leading them to block the road in protest against the administration’s response.
“Students from the 8th grade started fainting in class after attending the assembly,” said Headmaster Prasad. “We provided them with water and electrolytes and called for an ambulance. When it didn’t arrive, we used private vehicles to take them to the hospital.”
Dr. Satyendra Kumar at Sadar Hospital explained the severity of the situation. “There is a severe heatwave in the state. The incident occurred due to dehydration, as students came to school early in the morning without breakfast or water bottles,” he said. He further advised parents to ensure their children have breakfast and carry water bottles to stay hydrated.
Similar reports of students fainting due to the heatwave have surfaced from other districts. In Begusarai, six students at Matihani Middle School also collapsed and were taken to Matihani PHC hospital for treatment. The temperature in Begusarai district has reached 45 degrees Celsius, exacerbating the heatwave conditions.
The administration and teachers at Matihani Middle School criticized the Bihar government for keeping schools open during such extreme weather. They specifically blamed KK Pathak, Additional Chief Secretary of the Education Department, for the decision to operate schools at 6 am despite the heatwave.
“This order has caused distress for both students and teachers,” expressed the frustrated teachers. “The government’s ‘Tughlaqi farmaan’ to keep schools open in such weather is unacceptable, and KK Pathak has ignored the issue.”
According to the India Meteorological Department, the maximum temperature in the state ranged between 40 and 44 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. The department has issued a warning for continued heatwave conditions in the state.
As Bihar heatwave Crisis is coming into the matter to be looked upon, the incident at Mankaul Middle School highlights the urgent need for measures to protect students from such extreme weather conditions.
