The Tribune: Ludhiana: Thursday, June 14, 2018.
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Ludhiana-based Right to Information activist Ajay Sharma has decided to move
State Information Commission after he was denied information by the Transport
Department about the traffic norms violations by the buses and vans ferrying
school children.
According to
Ajay Sharma, he had sought information about the names of Ludhiana schools
which are not following the norms in accordance with Safe School Vahan Scheme
of Punjab Government under the RTI Act.
“The
Transport Department authorities have denied to provide me the information. The
authorities said information was not available with the department,” said Ajay
Sharma.
He further
informed that the school buses, vans and other vehicles ferrying students of
various schools in the district have been operating in blatant violation of
traffic norms and guidelines of state transport department thus posing a
serious threat to the safety of the schoolchildren. “Moreover, Punjab and
Haryana High Court had issued some guidelines to schools about safety norms
while ferrying school children in school buses, while hearing a civil writ
petition some time back. But majority of the schools have been ignoring the
directions issued by Punjab and Haryana High Court which is contempt of court”,
alleged he.
He added
majority of these school buses violate traffic rules by overloading vehicles,
modifying vans to increase seating capacity. “The school vans must have a fire
extinguisher, a male and a woman attendant,” he said.
Road
Transport Officer Lovejeet Kalsi said the information has been denied under
Section 7 (9) of RTI Act because it was disproportionably diverting the sources
of public authority.
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