School children gherao Public Accounts Committee demanding resumption of school bus service

PARADIP: Hundreds of school children gheraoed members of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Odisha Legislative Assembly on Monday demanding resumption of school bus service by Paradip Port Trust (PPT) from Nehru Bangla to Paradip town on Monday.

PPT used to ply a bus which was used primarily by children from areas close to Nehru Bangla to reach their schools in Paradip. The PPT stopped the service when schools reopened after summer vacation this year. Nehru Bangla is located 12 kms from Paradip and in the absence of school bus, students are forced to travel in auto-rickshaws, private buses or vans to reach schools, the parents complained.

The parents said they were forced to take the risk of sending their children to schools in overcrowded vehicles as they were left with no other choice. They had approached the district administration and PPT to start school bus service in the current academic session, but there has been no response.

The Public Accounts Committee members were on a two-day visit to Paradip to review implementation of schemes under Rural Development, School and Mass Education and Information and Technology departments. Braving rains, the children and their parents locked the main gate of PPT guest house at Nehru Bangla where the members were staying and sought their intervention in the issue.

A member of the PAC, Maheswar Sahoo, said the district administration has been informed about the problem and asked to take appropriate measures. The children and parents called off the agitation after they were assured that the issue would be resolved after discussion with PPT authorities on Wednesday.