Bhubaneswar, Aug 7: Six Class VIII girl students of a government high school in the Gondia area of Odisha's Dhenkanal district fell ill during school hours on Friday, allegedly due to poor ventilation in an overcrowded classroom. The incident has raised serious concerns over inadequate classroom infrastructure and student safety in government schools.

According to reports, the students suddenly complained of uneasiness, dizziness and breathing discomfort while attending classes. Teachers and school authorities immediately rushed to their aid and shifted them to the Sriramchandrapur Community Health Centre for treatment.

Hospital sources said all six students are in stable condition and are responding well to treatment.

Preliminary inquiries suggest that the classroom, designed to accommodate around 40 to 50 students, had more than 70 students present at the time of the incident. The excessive number of students reportedly restricted proper air circulation, making the room hot and poorly ventilated.

Officials suspect that the lack of adequate ventilation, coupled with overcrowding, led to the students falling ill. The incident has once again highlighted the need for improved classroom infrastructure and better student-teacher ratios in government schools.

Education department officials are expected to examine the circumstances that resulted in the overcrowding and assess whether any safety norms were violated. Necessary corrective measures are likely to be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Parents and local residents have also urged the authorities to ensure adequate classroom facilities so that students can study in a safe, healthy and conducive learning environment.

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