Students’ safety: Punjab rights panel tells NHAI, Patiala DC to submit report

Patiala, July 17

Two days after The Tribune highlighted the plight of students of Government High School, Kheri Gandhean, in Rajpura tehsil, who follow a perilous daily journey across the busy four-lane Patiala-Rajpura highway (NH-64), the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) today took suo motu cognisance of the matter and asked the Project Director, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Patiala, and the Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, to submit their reports before the next date of hearing on September 2.

PSHRC Chairperson Justice Sant Parkash said the PSHRC has perused the detailed news clipping viral on social media under the headline “Maths not a problem, crossing highway hard to handle for Rajpura school-goers”, indicating that the busy NH-64 is a real challenge for the students of Kheri Gandhean school.

“It is further mentioned that despite repeated requests, the highway authorities have not installed any signboard, speed-breakers or pedestrian overpasses to ensure students’ safety,

The order further reads that a copy of the order, along with the copy of the news item, be sent to the Project Director, National Highways Authority of India, Patiala, and the DC, Patiala, through e-mail and by post for the above said compliance.

Meanwhile, school Principal Naib Singh was called at the District Education Department office and was asked to submit the list of requirements for ensuring students’ safe journey to the school. The Principal was also asked to submit the record of the memorandums submitted by him and the panchayats of the respective villages in the past seeking safe corridor for students.

Harman Singh Sidhu, member of the Road Safety Councils of Punjab and Chandigarh, and the Global Alliance of NGOs on Road Safety has lodged a complaint with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and termed it as a violation of children’s right of compulsory education.

He urged the commission to direct the NHAI and district administration of Patiala to take immediate steps to ensure safety of schoolchildren by providing speed calming measures, road signs and markings and traffic lights etc.