Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): A workshop was hosted by MP Child Rights Protection Commission (CRPC) regarding the transportation system of school children in the district at Vikram Kirti Mandir on Monday. Private school operators and officials of traffic, transport, school education, health and other departments were present. The meeting assumed importance at it was convened seven days after the road mishap which claimed the lives of four schoolchildren of Unhel. Around a dozen school children also sustained injuries in this incident which took place on Unhel-Nagda Road.
In the meeting CRPC member Brajesh Chauhan said that the death of schoolchildren in Unhel due to a road accident is very sad. We all have to be aware, alert and do our work responsibly so that this incident does not reoccur, he said adding, to achieve this, a proper system needs to be made in the schools. All school operators should maintain a record of private vehicles like tempo, bus, van, etc. coming to the schools.
Chauhan further said, for the traffic of schoolchildren, the guidelines set by the Supreme Court and SoPs should be followed by the drivers. The colour of vehicles carrying school children must be yellow. Along with this, the helpline number should be compulsorily mentioned on the back of the vehicle. School buses and other vehicles should be tested twice a week by the RTO. From time to time, the fitness of the vehicles should be checked. The traffic police should regularly check that the vehicles carrying school children do not have more than the prescribed capacity. The campaign should keep running smoothly.
The CRPC also noted that the school operators should get the driver and conductor of private school buses and vans verified. Schools should organise parent-teacher meetings from time to time so as to keep the parents aware of this. Special care should be taken in the schools which are being run in rural areas. School vans and auto-rickshaws running on illegal gas kits should be stopped. CCTV, fire extinguishers should be installed in school buses.
Also an attendant for children should also be present in the bus, helping them in getting on and off the bus safely.
MP Child Rights Protection Commission member Brajesh Chauhan addresses the press conference. | FP PHOTO
WE DON’T HAVE BITING TEETH
Just before the workshop, CRPC member Brajesh Chauhan also interacted with media persons. He said that during his tenure in the last four years, he visited 40-odd districts of the state, but he had to reach Ujjain in the wake of unabated road mishaps victimising schoolchildren. He said that parents should ensure that their wards travel in fully-secured vehicles. He said that the school management should also own its responsibility.
He said that transport and traffic departments must exercise their power to check such mishaps. Chauhan, however, failed to reply that what action has been taken against vehicle operators and school management in the wake of the Unhel incident. He also looked helpless to activate the entire system to check such mishaps arguing that he can make recommendations only.
