Six-year-old S Shruti was returning home when she fell from a hole on the floor of her school bus in Tambaram. Angry eyewitnesses set the school bus on fire.
Madras High Court today asked the state government to come up with rules fixing norms for running school buses meant for children. The directive comes as a reaction to the death of a six-year-old girl, who fell through a hole on the floor of her school bus.
The court, which had suo motu taken note of the death of S Sruthi, a class II student of a private school who was crushed under the wheels of her school bus, directed the government to furnish the draft rules within two weeks.
"It is high time that the state government comes up with a rule fixing the criteria and conditions for running school buses meant for carrying the children," the court said two days after the incident that created a public outcry over the condition of vehicles carrying school children.
A bench comprising Chief Justice MY Eqbal and Justice TS Sivagnanam said, "We feel that a permanent solution has to be found to save the lives of the school going children, who travel by buses owned by the schools and other educational institutions."
The court, which had yesterday directed the appearance of officials allegedly responsible for the tragedy, however, dispensed with it after the government informed that the bus owner, driver, cleaner, school correspondent (administrator), and a Motor Vehicle inspector had been arrested.
The court was also informed that a case under IPC sections 279 (rash driving on public road) and 304(ii) (causing death without intention to kill) had been registered against them.
"However, the suspension of the Regional Transport officer and Motor Vehicles inspector shall not be a mere eyewash, rather the government shall initiate departmental proceedings as well against them and pass suitable orders in accordance with law," the bench observed.
The matter was posted for next hearing to August 9.