A portion of a ceiling at an old Government Senior Primary School building in Kalaburagi’s Sangolagi village collapsed, raising fresh monsoon safety concerns. The structure was unused, but the incident highlights widespread risk from dilapidated school buildings in the district.
In yet another alarming incident highlighting the poor condition of school infrastructure in Kalaburagi district, a portion of the roof of an old and unused building at the Government Senior Primary School in Sangolagi (C) village collapsed early on Sunday morning. The incident comes just days after five girl students were injured when a roof at a Government PU College gave way in the same district, intensifying concerns over the safety of school premises during the monsoon season. The school falls under the Chinchansur cluster of the Kalaburagi Rural constituency in Aland taluk.
Eyewitnesses reported that a monkey was seen jumping on a tree adjacent to the building shortly before the collapse. They believe that the combination of this disturbance and light rain on Saturday evening may have contributed to the already weakened structure giving way. The veranda roof and surrounding debris fell to the ground, clearly exposing the severely dilapidated condition of the building.
Building Was Not In Use
Speaking on the incident, acting Block Education Officer Annappa Hadimani clarified that the collapsed structure was not in use for academic purposes. He confirmed that all classes had already been shifted to a newly constructed building with eight classrooms, where students are being taught in a safe environment.
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He said that the old building was earmarked for demolition, but the process is still pending, adding that there was no threat to students or staff as the structure had been completely abandoned.
Widespread Concern Over Dilapidated School Infrastructure
Officials from the Education Department acknowledged that several school buildings in the taluk are in a deteriorated condition, posing potential hazards during the monsoon season. The latest incident has once again raised concerns about delays in removing unsafe structures from school premises.
According to departmental data from last year, out of 218 dilapidated classrooms identified in the taluk, 142 have already been replaced with new rooms. However, 76 classrooms are still awaiting demolition, while some others require urgent repairs.
Acting BEO Annappa Hadimani confirmed that the Education Department has already written to the Public Works Department, requesting a comprehensive inspection of all school buildings and the issuance of safety certificates.
Urgent Demand For Action Ahead Of Monsoon
With the monsoon season underway, residents and parents are urging both the Education and Public Works Departments to take immediate action to demolish unsafe and unused structures. The Sangolagi incident has once again underscored the risks posed by neglected buildings within school campuses.
Locals warn that unless swift corrective measures are taken, such deteriorating structures could lead to more serious accidents in the future, putting the safety of students, teachers, and school staff at risk.
