Tipper trucks in the rural areas of the district continue to flout the High Court’s order restricting their movement during peak hours for schoolchildren’s safety. Parents say the restriction, from 8.30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on working days is seldom followed by truck drivers and that the police fail to take action against them.
Mostly, heavy trucks operating in the interior areas of Mukkom, Thiruvambady, Karassery, Kodiyathur and Balussery have been found blatantly violating the directions and endangering students.
Though some school authorities have drawn the attention of the officials concerned to the illegal practice that had earlier claimed the lives of four persons in the district, the lack of a permanent mechanism is playing spoilsport.
M. Faizal, a parent and a resident of Karassery, says the materials transported by most of the trucks are also causing air pollution. “They do not even cover goods, mostly quarry dust and stone, while operating the service,” he adds.
The movement of heavy trucks along some narrow roads is also interrupting the free movement of several educational institution vehicles.
“It will take a long time to escape from traffic snarls and naturally students will reach their schools late. It is now common in our areas,” says a schoolvan driver from Mukkom.
Meanwhile, police officers from Mukkom station claim that they have been booking many of the violators. “At least 20 truck drivers have so far faced legal action,” they say.
At the same time, Parent-Teacher Association leaders from various schools in and around Koodaranhi panchayat allege that tipper trucks are still being operated without any interruption from early morning. In a mass petition submitted to the Rural police, PTA leaders complained that the police were hardly enforcing the rule consistently.
Pulluveli Wilson and K. Joshy, PTA office-bearers from the area, say there are around eight granite quarries in their area, where tipper lorry services are in full swing violating the order. Students in two schools in the panchayat are the worst-hit, they add.
