Eight young students from a private school in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district were rushed to the hospital on Monday after they fell ill from inhaling toxic fumes. The harmful smoke reportedly drifted into the school premises from a nearby sub-health centre where expired medicines were being burnt in the open.
Incident Details and Immediate Response
The alarming incident occurred on Monday near PV-43 Jayashri Nagar. According to teachers present at the scene, fumes from the burning stock of medicines entered the school's classrooms. This quickly led to several children complaining of severe symptoms including breathlessness, nausea, and dizziness.
As the children's condition began to deteriorate, the school staff acted swiftly. They immediately rushed all eight affected students to the Pakhanjur Civil Hospital for urgent medical attention. Hospital authorities have confirmed that all the admitted children are now in stable condition and are out of danger, though they continue to be under close medical monitoring.
Wider Impact and Community Outrage
The incident has sparked significant concern, as it was not only the students who were affected. Some teachers and parents who were present at the school at the time also reported experiencing discomfort and mild symptoms. This raises serious concerns that the toxic fumes may have impacted a larger number of people than initially identified.
Parents and local residents have expressed strong anger and are demanding an immediate and thorough inquiry into the entire episode. They are questioning whether proper safety protocols were followed during the disposal of the expired medicines at the sub-health centre. The community alleges that burning medical waste in an open area situated so close to a school campus is a clear act of negligence that endangered young lives.
Official Investigation and Accountability
In response to the outcry, officials are expected to launch a detailed examination of the events. The investigation will focus on whether established waste-disposal procedures were violated at the health centre. Authorities will determine if any procedural lapse directly led to the release of the toxic gases that put the schoolchildren at risk.
The incident highlights critical gaps in the handling of medical waste, especially near sensitive zones like educational institutions. It underscores the urgent need for strict adherence to safety norms to prevent such dangerous exposures in the future.
