School buses to be monitored strictly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Station House Officers (SHO) at police stations have been instructed to strictly enforce the guidelines for school buses set by the Motor Vehicles Department, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the Assembly on Thursday.He was responding to a calling attention motion moved by K N Khader on ensuring the safety of school students in the wake of accidents at Channankara and Karikkakom. “The guidelines will be enforced in earnest. It is a serious issue and the government views it as such,” Chandy said.The guidelines say that the school bus driver should have an experience of at least 10 years, he should not have been booked for drunken driving, school vehicles should have speed governors with the maximum speed fixed at 40 kmph, the vehicles should have attenders to see to the boarding and disembarking of students and that the vehicles should not be overcrowded. “The government is also conducting awareness classes for students such as road safety classes, photo exhibitions and quiz,” Chandy said.Two of the major accidents involving schoolchildren had occurred in Thiruvananthapuram district - in February and September this year.