Parents of four schoolchildren who died after a mud wall collapsed over them in Kaalajmuna village under Ganjam district’s Ramba police station alleged that their children succumbed to injuries for delayed treatment caused by non-arrival of 108-Ambulance despite repeated requests.
‘Had an ambulance come to the spot and taken children to hospital in time, the precious lives could have been saved,” alleged villagers. The children who died were all below 12 years of age and identified as Nandini Mali, Srabani Mali, Seshdev Mali and Sandip Sahu.
Despite repeated calls to Chhatrapur DHH and MKCG Medical College Hospitals, the 108-Ambulance could not come to the spot, said the villagers, adding that the parents were forced to take the injured on motorbikes to hospitals.
Former Ganjam Block Chairman Surath Pahan blamed both the State Government and the block administration for the tragedy. The house, wall of which collapsed, had been hit by Cyclone Phailin in 2013. Though the house was listed for Government assistance for reconstruction, the block administration had not paid any heed. He demanded `10 lakh Government assistance to parents of each of the four victims.
BJP leader Rama Chandra Panda visited the village and the MKCG Medical College to see the victims. Panda demanded an impartial probe into the tragic incident occurred due to non-arrival of 108-Ambulance.
“Though 108-Ambulance was frequently seen on the road during the time of general elections, it is disappointing that not an ambulance came to the spot of catastrophe,” Panda lamented.