SANGUEM
Sixteen teachers and students from some schools in Ponda taluka were injured when a Bal-Rath bus rammed into a tree at Verlem Ghat, while returning from a field trip to a strawberry farm at Netravali.
The teachers who accompanied the students informed that the trip was arranged by Sarvashiksha Abhiyan group from Ponda and there were 30 students in the bus, besides teachers.
The tour was basically arranged to learn about the strawberry plantations and also visit the botanical garden at Selaulim Dam.
Sources said after having visited the strawberry farms, the Bal-Rath bus was descending the steep slope when the bus driver reportedly noticed some technical fault in the brakes.
He brought the vehicle to halt by turning the bus towards the left and ramming it against a roadside tree near the Savari waterfall in Netravali before any eventuality could take place.
A major tragedy could have taken place if the bus were to fall off the hill on the other side of the road.
Immediately after the accident, locals rushed to the accident site and provided all possible assurance in getting the injured shifted to the Sanguem Primary Health Centre (PHC).
Sanguem PHC Health Officer Dr T Kakodkar said a total of 16 people were injured, mostly teachers, and 10 of them were discharged after first aid while six were referred to District Hospital at Margao.
Dr Kakodkar informed that two had suspected tooth fractures while two others had minor chest pain and added that they were referred to the District Hospital as they need to be kept under observation.
After the accident, locals arranged a private bus to drop the students and the teachers to Ponda.
During the strawberry season, a large number of visitors rush to Verlem and Tudov to visit the strawberry farms in the twin villages.
