Admn wakes up from slumber, to check overloaded school vans

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 16

After the tragic incident wherein four students in a school van were charred to death at Longowal village in Sangrur district, law enforcement agencies have decided to launch a special drive to ensure safe transportation of schoolchildren.

The administration and agencies concerned said: “Experts start acting only when such tragedies happen. Four kids had to lose their lives to wake up the authorities.

Laxity in implementing the ‘Safe School Vahan Scheme’ (SSVS) — meant to ensure the safety of kids — has, time and again, been reported.

Officials said: “The incident at Longowal could have been avoided if the district-level Inter-Departmental Committee — constituted in each district under the chairmanship of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) — had conducted an inspection of the schools under the SSVS.

Under the SSVS, the committee is supposed to meet once a month and make an action plan to conduct an inspection of school buses either on the premises of the school concerned or in such other places to ensure compliance with the provisions of the school buses safety.

The said policy was meant to ensure safe transportation of schoolchildren which had come into effect seven years ago.

It was in 2013 that the Punjab Government had notified the Safe School Vahan Scheme’ on the direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. However, it has never been implemented in letter and spirit. Ironically, only 197 challans were issued — over the last year — in the district for the violation of the said scheme.

Meanwhile, sources said majority of school vans which had been ferrying students - especially in rural areas - didn’t have a permit. The school van, which caught fire, is also reported to have been plying sans permit.

Schools and parents equally responsible

“Besides law-enforcement officials, schools and parents are equally be blamed for compromising the safety of schoolchildren,” say experts. A majority of private schools — instead of implementing the SSVS – have shrugged off their responsibility by not providing bus facilities to their students. Consequently, parents have to send their kids in auto-rickshaws and private vans. However, sending school kids in these autos and private vehicles — in the absence of any monitoring — is risky,” say the officials.

Notably, schools, as per the SSVS guidelines, have to constitute a ‘Transport Committee’ headed by the Principal. The said committee also includes a police officer not below the rank of assistant sub-inspector of the area concerned, motor vehicle inspector, assistant district education officer and a representative from the parents-teachers’ association of the school.

What officials say

“We will be conducting a massive drive to check these violations. Officials have been informed about the same. We have been conducting a road safety committee meeting every month wherein the implementation of SVSS is also discussed.” Kumar Amit, Deputy Commissioner

“We have issued 45 challans for the violation of tbhe Safe School Vahan Scheme till February 15. Apart from this, we have conducted 68 seminars, so far, to spread awareness in schools and colleges.” Palwinder Cheema, Superintendent of Police (SP), Traffic

“The district administration is committed to strict implementation of the Safe School Vahan Scheme. From Monday onwards, we will carry out a massive drive against violators,” said Arvind Kumar, Regional Transport Authority.

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