17 days on, Carmel Convent School, Chandigarh, reopens

Chandigarh, July 25

Seventeen days after a tree claimed the life of a 16-year-old girl and injured 19 others, Carmel Convent School, Sector 9, reopened on Monday.

The school authorities have cordoned off the area where the tree had split and allowed children to eat food inside classrooms. Earlier, there was restriction on consuming food inside classrooms, forcing children to eat in the playground, often braving extreme weather conditions.

Parents’ nod sought

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Teachers came to meet me and asked whether our child was feeling alright to attend school. Sara went to school on Monday after a long gap. Santosh Kumar Bansal, father of injured student

Parents have now started sending children back to school after attempts by the school authorities to restore normalcy.

Atul Agarwal, father of Kriti Agarwal, who suffered minor injuries in the mishap, said: “She went to school today and took her lunch in the classroom itself.” Prior to the reopening, the school administration had asked parents of the injured children whether their wards were ready to return to school.

Santosh Kumar Bansal, father of injured Sara Bansal, said: “Teachers came to meet me and asked whether our child was feeling alright and that she can come to school. Sara went to school today after a long gap.”

Parul Garg, mother of injured student Geetanjali Garg, however, is not ready to send her child to school yet. While Geetanjali’s younger sister is attending the same school, her mother has decided not to send Geetanjali for another week.

Expressing concern, Garg said: “While Geetanjali wants to go to school, I feel she needs another week before she is ready.”

In the aftermath of the incident, there is now a separate committee on horticulture management in schools. The institutions will have to provide information on identifying old and dead trees that are at the risk of falling.

On July 8, a 250-year-old heritage peepal tree had split and fallen on children eating lunch at the school. The incident claimed life of Heerakshi, while 19 others, including an attendant, were injured.

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