PANJIM: A day after a Balrath school bus transporting 34 students, met with a tragic accident at Balli, questions are being raised on where does the buck stop? The accident brought to light the fact that there were several shortcomings on the part of the school management.
Introduced in 2011 by providing 19 buses, the Indira Bal Rath Yojana has undergone a lot of metamorphosis in several years. Today the scheme encompasses 317 high schools and higher secondary schools across the State with as many as 410 buses in service. However, the condition of these buses and the operation of the scheme have been left in the abyss over the years.
It has come to light that, like the technical error of the bus in the Bali accident, there are several buses in the State running without proper repairs and maintenance.
However, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the schools managements should take care of the roadworthiness of the Balrath buses.
“We provide funds to the schools to carry out maintenance work of the buses. The driver, helper and the school management should take care of the buses. We provide buses to carry a limited number of students,” Chief Minister said.
Chief Minister Sawant said Rules and regulations have been framed and responsibilities fixed. It is important that the school management takes responsibility.
On the other hand, United Balrath Employees Union leader Swati Kerkar, while speaking on the issue, said that there is an urgent need for repairs of the buses as in some cases, replacement of the buses is required as they are not roadworthy.
“The government gives grants to the schools under which there is a provision of drivers, helpers and maintenance. Some schools maintain buses properly and also pay drivers and helpers on time. But some schools are such that buses run by them require urgent repair work. While the tires of some of the buses have developed cracks, the condition of some of the buses is such that drivers sit behind the wheels risking their lives. Some managers are so rude that they threaten to sack the drivers who complain about the condition of the buses. The condition is the worst,” Kerkar said.
“There are some buses in which lights do not function. If we complain then we are told that it will be done later. They do not say that they will not get new lights. They say that it will be changed. But they simply ignore us and we are forced to drive the same bus. If any accident occurs then it is the driver who is blamed,” a Balrath driver said.
Kerkar said the government must take urgent and strict action to prevent repeat of such kinds of events.
Artiste and activist Rajdeep Naik called the incident as an eye opener and requested the drivers and operators to refuse driving the Balrath buses, which are ill maintained.
“I request the drivers and cleaners that if the school management does not carry out maintenance work and the government does not pay attention, then kindly they should refuse to drive the buses. Because if any accident takes place then it is the driver who is blamed,” Naik said.
Director of Education Shailesh Sinai Zingde said it is time the school management should act in a more responsible manner as far as maintenance of the buses is concerned.
“We are providing funds every year. If buses are maintained routinely then there will not be much problem. We circulate all the guidelines received from the Central government or the lead agency among the schools. We do not have a mechanism to carry out inspection of all the buses run by the schools therefore it is the responsibility of the school management to carry out maintenance and inspection of the buses. Because the safety of children is of utmost importance,” Zingde said.
Meanwhile, sources in the Department of Transport said that an inspection was carried out by its officials after the accident took place.
While the State government is providing grants to the schools for maintenance of Balrath buses, there is no check on whether it is being taken up in the right earnest. It is time the State government pulls up the managements of high schools and higher secondary schools and does not wait for a god forbidden fatal repeat of the Balli incident.
Govt gives Rs 4.17 lakh yearly to schools for maintenance of Balraths, says Zingde
PANJIM: Director of Education Shailesh Sinai Zingde on Friday said that the government was giving annual grants of Rs 4.17 lakh to managements of each high schools and higher secondary schools towards the maintenance of every Balrath bus while the salary of drivers and attendants were enhanced from June this year.
“There are a total of 410 buses allotted to 317 high schools and higher secondary schools across the State. Some high schools have been allotted two buses, while some have been allotted three buses and I don’t know what the rationale was for this. Some buses were initially provided by the Social Welfare Department. We enhanced the driver’s salary to Rs 17,000 per month and Rs 12,500 for attendants. Now we have moved a proposal for additional liability of around Rs 5.5 crore for the current financial year,” Zingde told O Heraldo.
Zingde said that earlier the department was paying drivers and attendants from June to March of academic year and then was increased to 11 months and now for 12 months. This time the department paid the annual grants in one instalment w3hich will be exhausted in January 2024 and additional Rs 1.20 lakh will be paid for each Balrath bus as an enhanced fund within the next 15 days.
The annual grants also includes Rs 50,000 for insurance and Rs 50,000 for maintenance even as insurance of many buses would depreciate, he said adding, “We do not demand to refund of balance grants. But we seek an utilisation certificate from them and then only we release the additional grants,” he said.
Reacting to the Balli accident on Thursday, Zingde said that four students were admitted in the hospital for observation and later at night two more students were admitted after one of them had a fever and another had a vomiting sensation. On Friday, four students were discharged and two are kept under observation. As per information, two students were from higher secondary schools and rest were from high schools.
