'Impose strict rules on school vehicles'

Children killed in Trasi accident laid to rest

 Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (Bengaluru) Member Vanitha Thorvi said the district administration should impose strict rules and regulations on vans/buses carrying the schoolchildren in the district.

Addressing mediapersons after attending the funeral mass of Calista, Clarissa, Alvita, Ancita and  Delwin at Gangolli Church, Thorvi said the tragedy occurred at Muwathumudi was painful. The negligent act of the driver has snatched away the lives of the little innocent lives, she said and added that accidents related to school buses and schoolchildren are increasing never like before in recent years.

She said since January 2014 to January 2016, around 117-120 children have died in the state. The incidents are the results of utter negligence of  both the government and school managements. The administration has also failed to strictly impose the Supreme Court and Transport Act guidelines, she charged.

Torvi added that vehicles carrying schoolchildren should be painted in yellow with green letters mentioning the names of the schools. The names should be written in bold letters. She regretted that a small vehicle, like Maruti Omni which can accommodate barely 7-8 memebrs, had 18 children. She insisted that action should be taken against those responsible for the incident.

She said the schools in Delhi have decided to put yellow lights on top to indicate clearly the school vehicles to avoid confusion during fog. She lamented that the drivers are also not following norms. The school bus drivers should have at least 10 years experiencesand only stipulated number of children should be accommodated in school vehicles, she reiterated.

She said that stringent action should also be taken against the private buses which run without speed limits and speed governors. Disciplinary measures should be taken against the private vehicles, she demanded.

Torvi said the DC, RTO and SP should speak to the concerned authorities and formulate rules and regulations. There should be effective enforcement of these rules, she said and urged the district administration to immediately convene a special meeting of the educational institution heads and other stake holders in the government and ensure strict implementation of the norms mentioned in Supreme Court and Transport Act guidelines.

She lamented there is no zebra crossing in the district. The rule which says that the nursery children should also be accompanied by the ayahs in the school buses is not followed. Even if the parents go for private taxis, they should also look that the vehicles are painted in yellow with green colour writings, she advised.

She said that compensation is not that important when compared to the lives of the children who died.

Thorvi said she would raise the issue with State Legal Services Authority over the compensation packages. She said she is approaching the authority because, she is sure that the eight kids who died in the tragic incident were victimized.
She said the children are not animals to be dumped in vehicles. This incident should be the first and the last, she added.

Driver’s daughter injured
Princita, daughter of Maruti Omni driver Martin, was also injured in the accident near Trasi on Tuesday.

 Martin had lost his wife in an air crash at Bajpe airport on May 22, 2010. He had later married Philomena, a widow. Philomena is a teacher at Don Bosco School and she was earlier working in Mangaluru.

Martin was working in Dubai and he decided to settle down at Muwathumudi following the death of his first wife. They have two children. One is from Philomena’s earlier marriage. Princita is Philomena’s second daughter and is being treated in a hospital.