KSCPCR urges child-friendly bus transport to ensure student safety

Mangaluru: Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) Member Dr Thippeswamy K T on Monday wrote a letter to state Chief Secretary on the need of a child-friendly-transport system in order to ensure safety of children relying on KSRTC buses to attend schools.

"A safe bus transport is also an integral part of child rights," Dr Thippeswamy stressed in his six-page letter sent to the Chief Secretary. Dr Thippeswamy informed that he wrote the letter after a majority of the grievances submitted by children during the grievances meeting organised at Geetha S M Shetty hall in Shri Ramakrishna school pertained to buses not being punctual and crowded.

KSCPCR member in his letter urged the Chief Secretary to direct divisions to collect data on students travelling to colleges on each route and plan the number of buses, trips accordingly. Important among Dr Thippeswamy's eight recommendations included operating special buses to villages with the highest number of students attending schools and colleges. Buses should be equipped with CCTv cameras, GPS and Panic buttons.

"Posters with the number of Childline (1098) should be pasted inside and outside the bus," he stressed. Complaint boxes should be placed at prominent places and steps should be taken to ensure that the complaints are resolved immediately. Buses should be prevented from overloading students and footboard travelling by students should be banned. "A district-level Students Transport Safety Committee with student leaders as members should be set up to resolve grievances faced by students travelling in buses to schools," Dr Thippeswamy said.

Earlier Dr Thippeswamy said institutions taking care of children who have lost their parents besides providing food, shelter should focus on raising children with plenty of love and affection. "Children who attend such institutions have a traumatic background. Thus such children should be looked after with sensitivity. A family-like environment should be created," Dr Thippeswamy emphasised while addressing an awareness programme for members of orphanages at RAPCC hall in district Wenlock hospital premises.