Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jun 24: "Accidents like the one which occurred near Trasi on Tuesday keep happening as long as school children continue to be sent to educational institutions in private vehicles in violation of special guidelines issued by the Supreme Court. If schools and parents of students own the attitude of apathy towards safety of their children, there are chances of such catastrophes getting repeated," said Dr Vanitha N Torvi, member of Karnataka State Child Rights Commission.

She was addressing a press conference organized at the office of block education officer here after meeting the accident-injured at KMC Hospital Manipal on Thursday June 23 morning, participating in the final rites of the deceased children at Gangolli church, and also visiting the school where the victims were studying.

She said that children attending schools should travel in school vehicles alone. The school vehicles should be painted yellow. Such vehicles should prominently mention on their bodies the fact that they are school vehicles. Each such vehicle should be fitted with speed governors. The driver should have licence and also ten years of experience, Torvi added. She pointed out that a private vehicle was transporting the children to school when it met with an accident on Tuesday. She wondered as to why the concerned overlooked the fact that this particular vehicle had been violating the guidelines framed for the purpose, and was plying students to school since the last many years.

"From January 2014 to January 2016, she said, 117 deaths had occurred in accidents in the state, featuring vehicles carrying school students. "During the meeting held at the fag end of May this year, directions had been issued to school headmasters to exercise vigil and care about this issue. Although schools were asked to make advance preparations to handle rain-related problems, heads of several schools shirked from their responsibilities, because of which incidents in which innocent children's lives face peril are being reported," she noted.

She said that concerned officials have been asked to strictly follow instructions relating to the safety of school children. School heads are being requested to compulsorily follow guidelines issued for school vehicles without fail. She added that the vehicles carrying children should, without any exception, confine the number of children being carried to the one stipulated in guidelines. She expressed deep grief about the children who lost lives in the said accident, and promised to honestly make efforts to provide compensation to the bereaved families through the commission.