Packed like sardines on way to school : Regulate school vans/buses
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: August 09 2018 -

Framework Agreement. MU crisis. Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. Border pillar controversy. 7th Pay agitation.

The Government certainly has its hands full but nonetheless an important point needs to be highlighted and one hopes the matter is addressed to when time permits the Government.

Not the first time that The Sangai Express has touched on this point, but unfortunately the then Congress Government refused to pay heed in its 15 years time in office and one only hopes the BJP led Government is sensitive enough to take note of this point and see what it can do.

Moreover the BJP led Government has a media advisor in office and it is only expected that this point is highlighted to the powers that be.

As stated, this is not the first time that The Sangai Express has commented on this and this will not be the last either if corrective measures are not taken up. An update from a gentleman in a Whatsapp group is the immediate reason for touching on this topic.

The update shows a school van with young students crammed in like the proverbial sardines in a can.

The Editor of the English edition of The Sangai Express forwarded the update of the school van to Chief Minister N Biren via Whatsapp and while there has been no acknowledgement of receiving the forwarded pic, it is hoped that the Government will do something when the other burning issues are addressed to a certain extent.

Why should the day start for the young school going children on such a sour note, having to cram in a ridiculously over packed school van.

Moreover what are the school authorities doing ?

Turning a blind eye to such an issue will not do good for anyone.

Moreover why do parents allow school vans to carry so many students ?

What are the numerous student organisations doing ?

Why do they turn a blind eye to such an offensive sight that greets the people every day ?

Or are all under the assumption that this is no issue and hence can look the other way ?

Such a line of thinking is unwanted and can be dangerous.

Apart from the extreme hardships that the young school going kids are subjected to in their journey to school and while coming back home, it is also about the safety of the young tots.

God forbid but what if any of these school vans meet with an accident ?

Carrying so many passengers/students can be hazardous to safe driving.

The Government must act and lay down the number of students that a school van and a school bus can carry.

Schools too need to co-operate and tell all the van drivers that they are not allowed to carry students more than a specific number.

Any van that carries more than the laid down number of students should get its license cancelled.

Van drivers associations too need to get in touch with the schools and together work out the number of students each van may carry.

The same thing goes to school buses.

Student organisations too need to come forward and give their inputs on how to go about dealing with the point that has been raised here.

Young school students should not be allowed to experience such inconveniences any more.

Make their journey to school and back home an enjoyable ride and at the same time an educative one too.

Regulate the number of students each school van may carry.