Poll workers admitted in Danapur hospital.
– Photo : Amar Ujala Digital
Expansion
Many districts including Patna, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Darbhanga either received rain on Thursday night or it brought coolness to the air; but before that, from Wednesday morning to Thursday evening, the number of deaths of people walking on the road, bus stand, station or preparing for voting reached 73. Aurangabad had the highest number of deaths on Thursday at 15. After this, news of 11 deaths came in Patna. 10 people including five polling personnel died in Bhojpur, while eight in Rohtas, five in Kaimur, four in Gaya, two in Muzaffarpur, besides one person each in Begusarai, Jamui, Barbigha and Saran died while walking. With 59 deaths on Thursday and 14 deaths on Wednesday, the number of people who died due to scorching heat in Bihar has reached 73. Since post-mortem of most of the people is not being done, the death due to heat wave is not being confirmed administratively.
People are dying due to heat and sunstroke, no confirmation or ex-gratia
On Wednesday, about three hundred and fifty children and teachers fainted in schools in Bihar due to heat stroke. The state government announced at six in the evening that schools will remain closed from Thursday to June 8. Schools opened on Thursday, children were sent back but teachers were made to sit till one thirty in the afternoon. Meanwhile, those who were engaged in preparations for the last phase of voting in the Lok Sabha elections were also in trouble. News of the death of two teachers on polling duty came in Rohtas. Five polling personnel died in Bhojpur. Those who lose their lives in this way while engaged in polling or on government duty will also have to provide proof of the cause of death while giving compensation, but the reality is that within two days, neither the administrative confirmation of the death of those who die while walking on the road, bus stand, station etc. is being done nor any ex-gratia amount has been announced.