Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal
Bantwal, Jul 27: Following the tragic incident in Kalladka where a tree collapsed on a school bus belonging to Sri Rama Vidya Kendra, claiming the life of a young girl, the district administration, police, and transport department have swung into action, launching a district-wide inspection of school buses to verify their documents and safety standards in Dakshina Kannada.
As part of this drive, the Bantwal town police and regional transport office (RTO) officials jointly conducted vehicle checks near the B C Road circle on Monday.
During the drive, officials discovered that several school buses had improper documentation and were flouting safety norms. Consequently, the transport department seized four buses—three belonging to Baraka Educational Institution in Mangaluru and one from Badakabailu Majlis Educational Institution in Bantwal—that lacked the necessary paperwork. The vehicles have been taken into custody for further action.
It may be recalled that during the investigation of the Kalladka school bus tragedy, several lapses were uncovered regarding the vehicle's documentation. Subsequently, a case was registered against the management of Sri Rama Vidya Kendra at the Bantwal town police station.
Officials have stated that such inspections and strict legal actions will continue across the district to prioritise the safety of school children.
Public expresses outrage over delayed action
However, the timing of this operation has sparked widespread public dissatisfaction. The fact that the authorities initiated these checks five days after a young student lost her life has raised several questions among the masses.
The public has questioned why, even two months after schools reopened for the academic year, no proactive inspections were conducted regarding the fitness, licensing, insurance, documentation, and safety compliance of school vehicles.
Citizens expressed the strong opinion that the safety of children should not be limited to knee-jerk reactions following a tragedy. They stressed that it is the fundamental responsibility of the concerned departments to conduct continuous and routine inspections to prevent such violations, rather than merely waking up and cracking down after a life is lost.