The recent accident of the rickshaw near Patnem in Canacona Taluka, where eight young school children between the age of 6-10 yrs suffered injuries and one of them a major facture. The state policy for road safety is in the public domain.
But parents and authorities are not worried about the safety of their children as long there is no any accidents. It is mentioned there were eight children packed in that small rickshaw was there any record to be broken for accommodating maximum number of students in a rickshaw, who will be blamed now after the investigation is done driver or parents or the authorities? It should be collective blame on all.
The driver for overpacking his vehicle, the PWD (road) Engineer for not attending to the pothole. A case should be filed against the PWD for neglecting the repair of the road and compensation to be claimed and deposited into the Road safety account, the RTO for not checking on such trips and the parents for total negligence by sending his ward into overcrowding vehicle. All safety norms are bypassed, thank God there was no loss of precious life.
The same applies to the Balraths that the Govt. has handed over to the school managements. In order to save some money on diesel no extra trips are arranged by the school managements putting the life of all in danger. Will the authorities take a call or let’s wait and watch for the next tragedy to introduce or monitor overcrowding in school buses?
Gregory E. D’Souza, Siolim
