PremiumThe Manipur Government on Wednesday issued a directive banning all school excursions till 10 January 2023, after an untoward incident on Wednesday morning killed five students and left 20 students injured in Manipur's Noney district.
The directive by the Directirate of Education, government of Manipur, states, “In view of a school bus accident due to morning fog or mist, schools should not conduct excursions till 10th Jan 2023 to avoid any untoward incidents".
On Wednesday, a bus carrying students of Thambalnu Higher Secondary School for their annual school study tour to Khoupum overturned and killed five students. Some students are reported to be in critical condition.
The accident happened on Old Cachar Road near the Longsai area of the hill district, around 55 km from state capital Imphal, they said.
Reports have suggested that extreme dense fog reducing visibility has caused the accident.
The students had left in two buses. The bus in which the girl students were travelling overturned after the driver lost control of it, police said.
The directive by the state government said, “It is directed to all Principals/ Head Masters/ Head Mistresses of all Government/ Government Aided/ Private Unaided Schools in the State not to organise/ conduct school excursions till 10.01.2023, with immediate effect, to avoid any untoward incidents".
The directive cited reports of school children going for school excursion and meeting with accidents in the morning fog or mist of this winter season.
"Deeply saddened to hear about the accident of a bus carrying school children at the Old Cachar Road today. SDRF, Medical team and MLAs have rushed to the site to coordinate the rescue operation. Praying for the safety of everyone in the bus," Chief Minister N Biren Singh tweeted, sharing a video clip of the overturned bus.
Meanwhile, the Indian metrological Department on Wednesday forecasted that dense fog would prevail over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, north Rajasthan, Bihar, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, south Assam, Manipur, and Tripura in night and morning hours during next two days.