9 students, 2 teachers of city school fall sick

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-11-20
PANAJI- At least nine students studying in the middle section of the People's High School, Panaji and two teachers of the institution suffered nausea and vomited on Wednesday morning due to the stench emanating from huge load of garbage dumped across the school at Patto by the Corporation of the City of Panaji.
The students sickened early in the morning after the classes began. Nine students, including son of the CCP councillor, Mr Avinash Bhonsle and two teachers from the school, started feeling sick by the foul smell. Some of the students were taken home by their parents, while others were shifted to the city health centre of the directorate of health services in an ambulance. They were sent home after being treated.
The additional collector (North Goa), Mr Swapnil Naik visited the site and took stock of the situation. Mr Naik informed that he would give a report to the collector (North Goa) for reaching any decision in the matter.
"The collector (North Goa) had already issued orders to the CCP to stop disposing of the city garbage at Patto," he informed, adding, "However, the Corporation trucks continue to do so."
The additional collector (North Goa) also said the police officials have expressed their inability to deploy policemen on 24-hour duty at this particular site. “The police make their rounds at the site, but the Corporation trucks seem to be dumping the city garbage when the police are not patrolling the Patto area,” he pointed out.
The Goa State Commission for Children, in its meeting to be held on November 20 will discuss the incident.
The commission chairperson, Ms Samira Qazi said that she has already briefed the Minister for Women and Child Welfare about the problem and inconvenience faced by the school students in the Mala ward.
"The problem is existing for over two years now and a solution cannot be expected in a day's time," Ms Qazi maintained, adding that she would now be writing letters to various government authorities attracting their attention to the incident of students vomiting.
"I sympathise with the students and hope to have a quick solution for providing them relief," she observed.
The city MLA, Mr Manohar Parrikar and a delegation of the Goa branch of the Indian Medical Association also visited the school, interacted with students and teachers, and further made their observations.
After supervising the school and the garbage area, the IMA officials decided to submit a memorandum to the Chief Secretary, Mr J P Singh, besides the health secretary and the director of health services as regards the potential danger to the students and the residents of the Mala area from the garbage site at Patto.
The IMA also decided to launch a public agitation if the government fails to reach any solution over the city garbage problem.
The IMA officials, Dr Sushila Fonseca and Dr Ruffin Monteiro addressed the school students and teachers.