High court puts state, school on notice, seeks reply
Wants authorities to list out safety measures
SHIMLA: A day after 23 children of Wazir Ram Singh Pathania private school were killed in a school bus mishap at Nurpur in Kangra district, taking suo motu cognisance of media reports the Himachal Pradesh high court on Tuesday sought for a reply from the state.
The high court’s division bench, comprising acting chief justice Sanjay Karol and justice Sandeep Sharma, has asked the state government, schools and other authorities to file a reply regarding the safety measures taken by the concerned authorities.
The court has already been hearing a petition filed by a Shimla resident Nitin Vyas regarding the safety of children being ferried in cabs to schools. The petitioner had submitted that children are literally stuffed into vehicles in violation of all norms and guidelines laid by the apex court. HC had given direction to all deputy commissioners in this regard.
The council for the petitioner, Sheetal Vyas said, “The court in the past had issued direction in Shimla town to regulate transportation of school children.”
The court, however, will hear both the petitions together now.
The petitioner had asked the high court to direct the school authorities to comply with the guidelines and form transport committees to be headed not below the rank of principal secretary, the school principal, parents’ representative, local traffic and education inspector, bus operator and a member of local civic body.
In the petition, Vyas has further asked the court to direct school committee to examine various aspects ,including fitness of the vehicles, permit, registration of the vehicle, fire protection, first aid facilities, driver licence insurance and pollution control certificates among others.
CHILDREN SAFETY: NO GOVT POLICY YET
The matter, however, has still not got attention of the state government. So far the government has not formulated any policy or plan to ensure children’s safety. It has failed to ensure implementation of motor vehicle laws.