Ceiling plaster collapse injures Class IV student at Lagnu school in Sirmaur
Nahan, August 18
A fourth-grade student was injured after a heavy portion of ceiling plaster suddenly collapsed inside a classroom at Government Primary School, Lagnu, in Sangrah area of Sirmaur district on Tuesday morning, raising fresh concerns over the safety and maintenance of school buildings.
The injured student, identified as Kavya, sustained a head injury when the gravel-coated plaster fell from the ceiling while classes were in progress. She was immediately taken to the Community Health Centre (CHC), Sangrah, where she received first aid. Doctors subsequently referred her to Dr Y.S. Parmar Government Medical College and Hospital, Nahan, for further treatment.
The sudden collapse triggered panic among students and staff. School authorities rushed the injured girl to the health centre, while villagers reached the school after learning about the incident. Education department officials also visited the school and sought details of the accident.
According to preliminary information, the ceiling of the classroom was already in a poor condition. The incident has therefore raised questions over whether adequate inspections and repairs had been carried out before the classroom was used for teaching.
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Parents have demanded an immediate technical inspection of the entire school building and urgent repairs to ensure the safety of students and teachers.
Rajiv Thakur, Deputy Director of Primary Education, Sirmaur, said the department had received information about the incident and had sought a report from the school administration. The exact condition of the building and the circumstances leading to the plaster collapse would be established after the report was received.
The incident comes amid continuing concerns over the condition of basic infrastructure in government schools. Recent nationwide concerns and protests, including those raised by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) over basic facilities and the quality of education, have also highlighted the wider importance of safe and functional public infrastructure.
In Himachal Pradesh, where landslides, flash floods and other natural disasters have repeatedly exposed vulnerabilities in public infrastructure, parents say poorly maintained school buildings can put children at unnecessary risk. They have urged authorities to conduct regular structural safety inspections, particularly in vulnerable areas, and undertake repairs before buildings become hazardous.
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