Chennai: Madras high court has directed the state government to look into the issue of safety of school children travelling in government buses.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G.Ramesh and Justice RMT.Teeka Raman gave the directive while disposing of a petition from Tamil Nadu Nursery, Primary, Matriculation and Higher Secondary Schools Association.
“We would like take note of the plea of the counsel for the petitioners that as far as government buses are concerned, two third of the seats are occupied by school going children during peak hours and the state government has not imposed any restriction to their own buses and there are no safety measures available in the government buses for the children and seek necessary direction to the state government and the same amounts to hostile discrimination. In this regard, we direct the state government to look into this issue and if possible issue necessary guidelines in the light of the submissions made by the counsel for the petitioners and take care of the safety of the children traveling even in government buses,” the bench added.
Following the death of seven-year-old Shruthi, a class two student of Zion Matriculation school in Selaiyur on the outskirts of Chennai, who fell through a hole on the floor of her school bus and was run over by the vehicle on July 26, 2012, the state government had introduced special rules in 2012, as per the directions of Madras high court. Aggrieved over certain provisions of the special rules, the association and eight others filed these petitions.
However, during the hearing, the petitioners restricted their relief only in respect of two provisions of the rules (5 (2) and 8 (2) (iii)). The bench said as far as rule 5 (2) of the special rules was concerned, the counsel for the petitioners submitted that restricting the age of the attendant to 50 years was not acceptable and it contradicts the retiring age.
The bench said rule (8) (2) (iii) stipulated that every school shall produce their school buses before the special cell once in three months from the date of issue or renewal of fitness certificate and shall obtain road worthiness certificate.
The bench wants the period modified to six months from three months. The bench asked the state to make amendments in this rule.
