According to early reports, it is believed the building was weak and had deteriorated further because of the recent torrential rain in the region. Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar said some of the children who were injured are in a serious state.
Rescue Operations and Government Response
Emergency response teams and residents had spent all day rescuing students who were trapped. Anxious parents outside looked on as cranes removed large pieces of debris. The wailing of grieving relatives could be heard as the rescue operation went on. Thirty-two students have so far been pulled out alive, reports say some with serious injuries.
Rajasthan's Minister of Education, Madan Dilawar, said a proper inquiry will be made to ascertain the reason for the collapse. He also ordered the authorities to ensure that all the injured children are given timely medical treatment and the affected families are given all necessary support. I have instructed the authorities to make necessary arrangements and make sure the injured children face no inconvenience," he said. Condoling the deaths, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said directions have been issued to ensure the best medical care for the injured students.
Concerns Over Ageing Infrastructure
It is also the second time in the state in as many months that a school building has collapsed. Checking the poor condition of school infrastructure in the rural belt of the state, particularly in Barmer, which is prone to extreme weather, has raised a question mark on the status of other schools as well. In recent weeks, the desert state of Rajasthan has seen heavy monsoon rains, which could have weakened the infrastructure of antiquated school buildings even more.
As rescue efforts go on, attention has now turned to accountability and urgent inspections of school facilities across the area to prevent such disasters from happening again.
