Siliguri boarding school shut down for flouting government orders
Darjeeling: The district administration on Friday forced shut a boarding school in Matigara, Siliguri, that was running despite the government order to shut schools owing to rise in Covid-19 cases. Five ailing boarders of the school, with Covid-like symptoms, were sent for RT-PCR test by the district administration.
Based on complaints received, Block Development Officer (BDO,) Matigara, accompanied by Block Medical Officer of Health; Police and DI of Schools (Madhyamik,) paid a visit to the Sacred Heart School at Phansidewa More in Matigara.
"We found a Standard 11 class going on. We immediately closed down the school and have given the authorities 24 hours time to ask the boarders' parents to take back their wards. Legal action will be initiated against the school for flouting government restrictions," stated Sribash Biswas, BDO, Matigara talking to Millennium Post.
The BDO further stated that five boarding students were being kept in the infirmary with Covid-like symptoms. No RT-PCR tests had been done. "We have sent the ailing students for tests. Their test reports are awaited," added the BDO.
Anil Gupta, one of the school authorities, claimed that day-scholars were not being allowed into the school. The guardians and parents of the boarders had been informed to take back their wards. Many of the boarding students are from Nepal and Bangladesh.
"No classes were being held. It was just an interaction between a teacher and the boarders," claimed Gupta.
Rajib Pramanik, District Inspector, Schools, stated: "We will bring the matter to the notice of our department and action will be taken against the school. If the authorities had problems sending the boarders home they should have intimated the district authorities or us."
On the Covid-19 front on Friday, out of 575 samples tested by the VRD Lab at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, 168 were marked positive. As many as 17 health workers and medical students of NBMCH have tested Covid-19 positive.
On Thursday, one Ganesh Chettri (48) of 10th Mile area of Kurseong died at the NBMCH owing to Covid-19.
"In the Kalimpong district the number of active cases is around 15," stated R Vimala, DM, Kalimpong.
At least 238 fresh cases were recorded in the Darjeeling district on Friday, including 85 from Siliguri Municipal Corporation area; 15 from Darjeeling Municipality area; 3 from Mirik; 2 from Mirik Municipality area; 11 from Kurseong Municipality area; 2 from Bijanbari; 8 from Sukhiapokhari; 5 Kharibari; 65 Matigara; 29 Naxalbari and 13 from Pansidewa.
