The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has placed the onus of children’s safety while travelling to and from school on managements.
This comes in the wake of the police booking several drivers for ferrying students while under the influence of alcohol.
The Commission, on Thursday, passed an order stating that if rules governing school cabs and buses are violated, school managements would also be held accountable.
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Taking suo motu notice of cases of drunken driving, the Commission said that besides the driver, the vehicle owner, head of the institute and the school management members should also be penalised. It had summoned representatives of school managements after the cases were reported and found that many school buses did not comply with various guidelines, such as having GPS facility or CCTV camera.
Guidelines
Commission Chairperson Kripa Alva said that the order would be forwarded to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to ensure compliance.
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As per the guidelines laid down by ‘Conditions for vehicles engaged in transport of children Rules 2012’, buses should not carry children more than their seating capacity and should always have an attendant on board.
In the order, the Commission urged the DPI to ensure stringent measures against the management of institutions that fail to implement the guidelines.
It has also sought a report from the authorities concerned regarding the same.
Non-alcoholic backgrounds
The Commission has also said that in the interest of safety of children, school managements should employ drivers from non-alcoholic backgrounds.
“We are particular that the driver should not be an alcoholic. If he is an alcoholic, then although school managements may conduct checks in the morning, they can drink later and driving under the influence of alcohol, which will be extremely dangerous,” Ms. Alva said.
KSCPCR passes order that if rules are violated, managements will be held accountable