Punjab govt must set up regulatory body for safety of school children: Harpal Singh Cheema

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday asked Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to dismiss state Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla over the death of four children who were charred to death in their school van in Sangrur.

The AAP leader also urged the state government to form a regulatory body to check the maintenance of vehicles, their fitness, and roadworthiness and ensuring safety measures, et al.

In a statement Cheema said, "It is extremely shocking that four innocent children were charred to death in an old and ramshackle school van in Sangrur district."

Terming Vijay Inder Singla as the most inefficient Education Minister of the state by far, the Leader of Opposition said that the horrific incident was not the first of its kind.

"Earlier also, recurring incidents of crime against children in the home district of education minister have happened," he added.

The AAP leader urged the state government to form a regulatory body to check the maintenance of vehicles, their fitness, and roadworthiness and ensuring safety measures.

"The government should wake up from its deep slumber to take an urgent call on the safety and security of school children by enacting stringent laws to deal with those flouting safety norms with impunity," he added.

Cheema also sought to bring in a permanent transport policy to keep a constant watch on the entire gamut of hiring private vans/vehicles by the school management.

The accident took place when the school van was on its way to drop the kids of nursery wing of a private school at their respective dropping points.

According to eyewitnesses, there were 12 children onboard the van.Eight children were saved by the people who were working on the farm who came rushing on seeing the school van in flames.

The children who died in the incident were four to five years of age.