A year on but memories refuse to die for people in Samej hit by cloudbursts

Although the building of Government Senior Secondary School —which lost its eight students in the tragedy — has been partially repaired, classes have been shifted to an uphill building belonging to the Newkunder Mahila Mandal for the monsoon season.

Of the eight students who died, five were star athletes. They included Ritika Kedarta (17), Radhika Kedarta (15), Arushi Kedarta (12), and Arun Kedarta (13). Ritika, Radhika, and Arushi were state-level volleyball players, while Arun and another student, Priyanka, were district-level badminton players.

School’s Physical Training Instructor (PTI) Ravi Motiyan said that earlier the school playground was in the lower portion of the building which was completely destroyed. “The school has been producing many athelets but now we don’t even have a good playground. We have been pursuing the PWD and Revenue department to allot land for a playground. Although we made a badminton court, the surface is kucha and remains mostly damaged. There are a few good Under-19 shuttlers. For them, we prepared a badminton court in the school ground but this is not of that level where we can offer practice to the students throughout the year. About 32 students of the 68 are interested in sports. Two dozen students in the Under-14 and Under-19 categories have played for the district and state,” he said, adding that they also need space for co-curricular activities such as NCC.

Principal Kamal Nand Thakur said that this year, they didn’t want to take any chances and shifted the classrooms to a nearby uphill Mahila Mandal building at the onset of the monsoon. “We will return to the old building only when it’s completely safe. We have about 68 students from Classes 6 to 12, and 25 students in the primary section. The school is at present closed for summer vacations till August 12.” he said, adding that the upper portion of the school building has been fully repaired, but the lower portion—housing the administrative block and primary section—is yet to be restored.

Muck and mud that flooded the lower part during the disaster are still there. “Repair work is ongoing. Once the building is completely restored, we plan to install a signboard in the lower portion bearing the names of our eight students who died in the tragedy.” Kamal Nand said, adding, that the school is resuming its routine activities gradually.

Nineteen of the 35 victims of the tragedy belonged to one Kedarta family.

Santosh Kedarta, 61, who has since relocated to nearby Rampur, said he lost his 25-year-old son Avinash and his 34-year-old brother Partap. “One of my relatives, Neeraj Kedarta, lost his father, brother, wife, and three children. Only his nephew—his elder brother’s son—survived. Five school students of the eight who died also belonged to our family. We performed the Barsi (first death anniversary rituals) of some family members yesterday. Although we received financial assistance from the state government, many survivors are yet to be fully rehabilitated,” he said.

Lata Devi, pradhan of Sargha Gram panchayat, said, “Though the school was repaired and classes were resumed, but for the safety of students, the local administration and panchayat decided to shift students to the Mahila Mandal building. More than 50 per cent of the village was destroyed in last year’s calamity. Giant boulders that came floating in the floodwaters and damaged structures along the rivulet are still lying there.”

When asked, a senior government official said that the district administration is aware that the school needs a playground. “Efforts are on to get a piece of land nearby,” he said.