Implement Supreme Court guidelines on school buses safety, SCPCR to DTOs

Taking serious note of school buses allegedly violating the Supreme Court's guidelines on safety of children, the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights today issued directives to transport officials asking them to ensure compliance of the apex court's recommendations.

Commission Chairman Sukesh Kalia, in a full commission meeting today, observed that "it was matter of great regret that District Transport Officers (DTOs) were not seriously checking the school buses".

The Commission observed that in most of the accidents involving school buses, it was found that either the school buses were "not road-worthy or the drivers were untrained, without license or not according to the guidelines of Supreme Court".

The Commission, according to an official release here, asked DTOs to ensure that all school bus drivers must have relevant driving license and they should fulfill all the conditions laid down by the Supreme Court in this regard.

The Commission also directed that there should be a qualified attendant in the buses throughout the journey.

It would be mandatory for the attendants to escort the children and hand them over to their parents at every point, the Commission further directed.