By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: In response to the worsening flood situation in the district, Patna District Magistrate Dr Chandrashekhar Singh has ordered the closure of 76 schools. This decision follows the tragic death of a teacher who drowned after falling from a boat into the River Ganges while en route to his school at Nasriganj Ghat in Danapur, sparking widespread anger among the teaching community.
Following the incident, the education department had instructed that all ghats, from which students or teachers travel to school, should be identified and that boats and life jackets should be provided at the government’s expense. However, these measures have not been implemented. Teachers, frustrated by the lack of action, raised their concerns on the social media platform X, tagging the Patna DM, which prompted his attention to the matter.
Patna DM Chandrashekhar Singh stated that he reviewed the situation of the schools on Tuesday morning. Currently, the water level of the Ganges has risen significantly, surpassing the danger mark in several areas, and the current in the river is particularly strong. In light of this, 76 schools in the Diyara area of the district have been closed to ensure the safety of teachers and students. These schools will remain closed until Saturday, after which a review meeting will determine if they can be reopened depending on the water level. Once these schools reopen, all safety measures mandated by the department, including the provision of life jackets and boats at the ghats, will be enforced.
“The lives of teachers and children are our priority; no risks will be taken,” said Dr Singh. “Until proper arrangements, including life jackets, boats, and other necessary safety measures, are in place, these 76 schools will remain closed.”
The Bihar Education Department has instructed all district officials to identify ghats within their jurisdictions where students and teachers travel to school by boat. At these locations, the government is to provide boats and an adequate number of life jackets, with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and trained divers also to be deployed for additional safety.
Amit Vikram, President of the Bihar School Teachers Association, criticised the Education Department’s order as a mere formality, pointing out that teachers in flood-affected areas continue to risk their lives. Teachers in the Diyara area are still travelling to schools by boat, without any government-provided safety measures. A recent video from Gyaspur in Bakhtiyarpur, Patna district, shows teachers and their vehicles precariously loaded onto a wooden boat, with no visible safety precautions.
There are approximately 17 districts in Bihar that include Diyara areas where teachers must cross rivers to reach their schools. The education department’s directives need urgent implementation to ensure the safe passage of teachers. At the very least, life jackets should be provided according to the number of teachers on each boat. Teachers have also called for the government to arrange for steamers powered by petroleum fuel to reduce travel time and enhance safety.
