Shashi Tharoor, MP, has called for an immediate review of the safety measures initiated by authorities after the accident involving a school bus at Karikkakam in February this year in which six children and a caretaker lost their lives.
In a pressnote issued here, Mr. Tharoor expressed anguish and shock at the accident at Channankara on Monday in which a minibus transporting schoolchildren fell into the Parvathy Puthanar canal, resulting in the death of four schoolchildren and injuries to 18 others.
He said the recurrence of such an accident only a few months after a similar tragedy at Karikkakam was unacceptable to human conscience. “A review should be undertaken to identify whether there has been any shortfall in the implementation of the safety measures suggested at that time to prevent the possibility of recurrence of such incidents. There should be no laxity shown to any quarter on this issue.”
He noted that one of the essential measures contemplated after the earlier incident was the construction of a protective wall along the embankments of the canal. The progress of implementation of that proposal should be looked into immediately at the highest level. Mr. Tharoor suggested that till such time as the protective wall/railings were put up, the movement of vehicles carrying schoolchildren should be strictly prohibited on the roads adjoining the canal.
