Police officers in the district are busy fine-tuning the nuts and bolts of an operation for ratcheting up awareness and enforcement measures that are meant to ensure that schoolchildren are not in harm’s way.
‘Operation SAFE’ has been planned as a co-ordinated effort of the district police involving officers at station, circle and division levels to safeguard children from risks and abuses. The primary component of the 10-point operation planned for the entire academic year is and private vehicles carrying children.
“The measures to ensure safety of schoolchildren are put under one operation so that it can be carried out for the entire academic year in a co-ordinated manner,” District Police Chief G. Siva Vikram told The Hindu . “Things are not going to change overnight,” he said, but exuded hope that the operation would ensure increased compliance over a period.
Circle-level police officers in the district have already begun work on preparing lists of school vehicles and other vehicles including autorikshaws hired by parents for taking children to and from schools. The drivers will be made aware of the importance of children’s safety. Keeping fire extinguishers, first aid kits, list of students they carry including information of their blood groups and their parents’ contact numbers will be made compulsory in the vehicles. Fitness of the vehicles will be regularly monitored and speed governors will be insisted upon as part of the operation. Schools will be directed to ensure emergency exits in their vehicles. The antecedents of drivers and caretakers of vehicles other than those run by school managements will be verified as part of the operation.
“Around 250 vehicles, including autorikshaws and vans, having no connection with schools are operating school trips in Kannur town,” said Kannur Town Circle Inspector T.K. Ratnakumar. The drivers of such vehicles will be made part of the drive. Those drivers attending classes and programmes on compliance with rules will be issued identity cards by the police. “The police will also act against overcrowding in the vehicles carrying children,” he added.
As part of the operation, the police are also planning to intensify action against underage driving of two-wheelers.
The police have urged the public to post photos of such underaged riders and vehicles on the Kannur Police Facebook page. The RC owners and parents would be made aware of the dangers involved. “School protection groups comprising local police officers, teachers, and parents will be re-activated, and complaint boxes will be installed by the police in schools,” officers said.
