The total number of students appearing for HS and other school exams in the slum is over 80. Most are students of Tilajala High School for Boys, Tiljala High School for Girls and Brajonath Vidyapith.

Pappu Singh, Sampa Biswas, Nihar Guha, Rumpa Sardar are some of the students who will appear for the exam. “I have lost all my books. I do not have any idea how I will write the exam tomorrow,” said Pappu.

Local clubs, with the help of Councillor Amal Mazumder (ward 108), have spoken with the school authorities regarding the issue. “Along with other belongings, several students have lost their admit cards in the fire. We have requested the school authority to allow them to appear for the exams without admit cards,” said Mazumder.

Yesterday’s fire razed about 500 hutments. The narrow lanes of the area left little time for the residents to collect their belongings. Pappu’s mother Shakuntala had little time to collect her son’s books. “I rushed out from my room with Pappu and my daughter Papiya. There was no time to collect books or any other important documents,” said Shakumtala. The Singhs, like thousands of others, have taken refuge in relief camps. Members of the local clubs, which are conducting the relief programmes, have arranged for books for Pappu and others.

Though several top officials, including Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattcharya have visited the area, no alternative rehabilitation package has been promised yet.