Month after 7 students died in bus mishap, Himachal Pradesh cancels school affiliation

Replying to a query raised by Congress MLA from Renuka Ji, Vinay Kumar, during the Question Hour, the minister said that the decision will come into force from April 1.

In its seven-page report, the inquiry committee said the vice president of Maina Gandel gram panchayat had informed the school principal that the bus was not in a good condition and had requested him to get get it repaired. Though the principal assured to get a new bus within a few months, he did not buy one. The committee held that there had been gross negligence on part of the school.

“The government will take stern steps against individuals and organisations if road safety norms are not followed,” the minister said.

Kumar, in whose constituency’s the accident had taken place, alleged that the regional transport officer had refused to pass the faulty vehicle for plying on road but it was cleared by the transport department’s regional manager.

Former chief minister Virbhadra Singh also questioned the approval for the bus. “If the technical authority rejected the passing of the school bus, how could the higher authority pass it?,” he asked.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur assured the House that the government would also probe the “negligence” on part of the transport department officials in passing the bus.