Drive against unsafe buses on, 34 fined

Tribune News Service

Moga, February 19

In its endeavour to tighten the noose around school buses for not complying with the requisite parameters of the Safe School Vahan Scheme, the district administration under its special drive issued ‘challans’ to 34 vehicles and impounded four vehicles out of over 98 school vehicles it checked in the last two days.

Moga Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Hans said the district administration had begun the drive to ensure that people violating the safety norms were careful about safety and security of schoolchildren in the future.

As per information, 18 school vehicles were checked in Moga sub-division, out of which ‘challans’ were issued to 10, while one was impounded; in Baghapurana, 23 vehicles were checked, of which, 13 ‘challaned’ and two impounded; in Dharamkot, 29 vehicles were checked, of which, 11 ‘challaned’, and in Nihal Singh Wala, 28 vehicles were checked, of which, one was impounded. Earlier on Tuesday, as many as 66 challans were issued and 15 school buses impounded under the Safe School Vehicle Scheme in Kapurthala.

DC Dipti Uppal had said vehicles used for ferrying students should be painted yellow.

Van fire fallout

• Four days after four schoolchildren were charred to death after a condemned school van caught fire, the police continue to check vehicles for various violations all across the state.
• Soon after the tragedy, as many as 119 school buses and vans were challaned and eight impounded under the Safe School Vahan drive.