A student narrowly avoided being bitten by a venomous snake at the Padegaon Zilla Parishad primary school near Nira in Satara district on Monday, exposing continuing safety concerns at the ageing government school.
The snake reportedly came directly under the student’s foot while she was at the school. It did not bite her. Headmaster Bapurao Gaikwad acted quickly and moved the snake away from the school premises, according to a report by Pudhari.
The incident has renewed concerns among students, parents and villagers about the condition of the school building and its surroundings. The school, which was established in 1936, has reportedly seen repeated sightings of snakes, scorpions and other insects inside classrooms and in other parts of the premises.
The school’s damaged toilets and sanitation facilities are also said to pose a risk, with residents reporting fear of snakes in those areas. The chairperson of the school management committee had earlier seen a krait, locally known as manyar, in the same vicinity, the report said.
The latest incident has brought renewed attention to the condition of the Padegaon school building, which villagers describe as dilapidated. They have questioned why students should bear the consequences of an unresolved administrative issue and demanded a permanent solution for the school’s infrastructure.
A key complication is the continuing dispute over ownership of the land on which the school stands. Although the school has operated for nearly nine decades, the land ownership issue remains unresolved. Villagers say the uncertainty has contributed to delays in repairing or improving the building, even as parts of the structure have deteriorated.
The incident also raises questions about the division of responsibility for maintaining safety in government schools. While the school management and headmaster may respond to immediate hazards, repairs, sanitation, structural maintenance and decisions concerning land and buildings require action from the relevant education and local authorities.
Pudhari reported that its attempt to contact Anis Nayakvadi, the primary education officer of the Satara Zilla Parishad, was unsuccessful. The report did not provide details of any official inspection, repair schedule or safety assessment following the snake sighting.
Residents are now demanding that the land and building issue be resolved permanently and that the school be made safe for students. The next formal response from the Satara Zilla Parishad and the education department will determine whether the incident leads to an inspection and concrete repair measures.
