Parent say students and teachers should be praised for self-rescue, two Forest Guards helped them

Name: Parent say students and teachers should be praised for self-rescue, two Forest Guards helped them
Uploaded: 2024-09-24T15:55:43Z
Description: The students were well equipped and old enough to manage on their own, one parent said

The students were well equipped and old enough to manage on their own, one parent said

PANJIM: Forty-seven students and five teachers from a St Francis Xavier Higher Secondary Siolim found themselves stranded during a waterfall trek, due to a sudden rise in water levels caused by heavy rains on Monday. Students stated that they had been rescued by Forest Guards.

On Monday, students from Siolim were stuck at Kasarvane waterfall from due to heavy rains sudden rise in the water in the stream. However, one parent said the students and teachers did not panic but waited for the rain to subside and when the water level went down they crossed the stream since they were equipped with ropes and other gear. Two Forest guards assisted them. The parent said credit has to be given to the students and teachers.

The students stranded at the Charvane waterfall, Sattari due to heavy rains, at around 1 pm on Monday. At around 2 pm they made a distress call to the Forest Guards. Six forest guards came and recused them around 3.44 pm, before the Valpoi Fire Station and police arrived.

One parent has stated that the students were well equipped and old enough to manage on their own. Sunny D’Silva, a parent from Siolim, who ward was among the trekkers said, “The students and teachers rescued themselves.” On being questioned about the students’ testimony that forest guards helped them, he stated that just two persons, who were in plain clothes helped them. They may have been forest guards, he stated.

“The news that Fire Services and the Police rescued them is false. They reached after the students had crossed the stream. The news that they were still stranded when the students had got into the bus created panic among parents back home in Siolim.

Sunny D’Silva Parent

DSilva also stated that the students had registered themselves on the forest department register and paid the requisite entry fee. “The Forest Guard should have stopped them if there was any danger or yellow alert,” D’Silva added. “Show me one video where the fire services personnel are seen rescuing the students.

All the photos and videos are of Fire Personnel escorting the students after they have crossed the stream, D’Silva said. To support his claim he forwarded a video where the students are seen holding onto a road and crossing the stream, after the water subsided. “The students are ready to do the trek once again. They are not afraid. If such news is spread, parents will be afraid to send their wards for treks again,” D’Silva contended.