Officers to make students’ travel safe

Nodal officers will be appointed in all government schools in the district to ensure safety of the students who travel to school in private vans and other vehicles. The decision was taken at a meeting held a the Collectorate on Monday to discuss students’ safety.

A senior teacher in every government school will be appointed the nodal officer. They will collect information regarding the drivers of private vehicles which transport students to school. Details of students who travel in such vehicles will also be maintained. The police have already collected information regarding all the vehicles transporting students in the city.

The nodal officers will also have the responsibility of ensuring that the students are not packed tightly into the vehicles. The police department has also begun as extensive training programme for bus drivers and ayahs. Awareness programmes will also be held for office-bearers of parent-teacher associations (PTA) and Principals later.

The police will strictly enforce the system of issuing special registration numbers for all vehicles transporting students. Focus will be on monitoring the functioning of parallel service vehicles such as contract carriages, autorickshaws, pick-up vans, and other private vehicles.

The teachers have also been asked to maintain strict vigil to prevent students from using drugs. In addition, the Student Police Cadets, NCC and NSS volunteers will also actively involve themselves in anti-drug awareness activities. The meeting also decided to cut down old trees which pose a threat to the safety of students inside school compounds. Programmes to prevent the spread of communicable diseases will also be organised.