The "Ram-Bharosey" Balrath School Bus scheme of Goa is not taking #GoaModel anywhere.
No competent authority to certify the road worthiness of these school buses, leaving the students and parents in a dangerous lurch.
On 7th December 2023, A Balrath school bus was transporting students from Khaddem to Cuncolim United High School when it turned turtle after going off the road in a field at Balli. According to the driver of the bus, steering wheel of the bus got locked. In all 22 students were in- jured due to the accident and six were admitted to the South Goa District Hospital, Margao.
It’s been 2 Weeks since the unfortunate incident and entire Goa is clueless as to how this accident happened? Even the students and their parents who had to go through this unfortunate incident are fumbling for answers, least which they could expect. Specially, when they have no choice other than to travel in “Balrath” school buses daily.
While the Chief Minister and Director of Education have solely put the blame on the respective schools for the maintenance of buses, since the state government of Goa provides funds for the maintenance of these buses as well.
While this is per se, sounds good and worthy, the question which is most important, is who would certify the road worthiness of these vehicles, which transport thousands of students, daily to and fro from their school?
The Balrath school buses are used by students from all the strata of society, specially those in far flung areas of the state. While travelling from a government provided utility (sort of, though this could be contested by Government officials), both the parents as well their wards put their implicit trust, in the sensible fact that the vehicle is safe for transport purpose, and they shall be driven in a safe and sound manner by the appointed drivers.
What happens when this trust is put to test, and no answers are forthcoming for the people concerned? With no other option available for the students availing the Balrath school facility, it is like saying a prayer to their respective God/Deity for their safe travel and then saying a vote of thanks, after disembarking with all the limbs intact.
For the parents, it is like chanting a prayer all the while, for the safety of their sons and daughters.
Magically, while the onus of maintenance of bus lies on the school, there is no onus on any other authority, to lord over the school authorities to check whether they are doing their duty and not short-changing the safety of school students.
With just about 350 odd School bus all across Goa, the various RTO (Regional Transport Office) of the Department of Transport can effectively do this job, with a bi-annual check of the fitness of the vehicle; but Government of Goa and Department of Education, has for reasons known only to Lord Almighty, have kept them completely absolved from the said job.
In an act, which the author is failing to “term” due to lack of an adequate word justifying the brazenness of it, the RTO Officer deployed for investigating the 7th December 2023 accident of Balrath said “No Opinion can be given on the cause of the accident!”
This is when the School bus driver whom the Goa Police has booked for rash and negligent driving but has not arrested so far, had categorically stated in his defence that the steering wheel of the bus locked, at that very moment and he could not steer the curve. So, the RTO Officer was not even able to ascertain whether the School Driver was correct in the statement he provided in his defence or not? After all, the Steering-wheel of the vehicle would still have been locked?
While the Chief Minister says Schools are responsible for the upkeep and road worthiness of the Balrath school bus, who is responsible for certifying the road-worthiness of these buses Mr.Chief Minister?
Does the buck really stops at the school authorities? Do the school authority would themselves provide a fitness-certificate for the road worthiness of the vehicle to one and all, specially the parents and students?
And if so, then what is the job of RTO spread across Goa which are filthy with rampant corruption due to the touts?
Saying that, School authorities are the competent authorities to certify the road worthiness of the Balrath school bus is a mockery of the entire beneficial scheme.If there is no competent authority to judge the efficacy of the school authorities towards the maintenance and upkeep of the bus, it would lead to more short-changing and lethargy in the entire scheme of things and tomorrow there could be a much more grave incident with god forbid, young lives may be lost, for no fault of theirs.
During her last visit President Murmu advocated that Goa is the hub of education in entire country. While the largesse could be forgiven as a bravado, but even when one aims towards that objective, is this the way to achieve the goal, when the lives of kids are stake everyday, because no one is willing to take the ultimate responsibility.
Pass the Buck is not going to provide any comfort to either parents or students who avail of this beneficial scheme. the comfort would only come, when there is a competent authority who could certify their road worthiness.
The interesting thing to note is that RTO is a state government authority and if it starts certifying the road worthiness or for that matter lack of it thereof; that would put additional burden on the state exchequer of Goa which is already reeling under debts. Is this the reason RTO has been instructed to not get into this matter?
What is the use of providing a beneficial scheme for namesake to collect brownie points, when no competent authority can verify its worthiness? Balrath are running in Goa on as they say, “Ram Bharosey”; for Goa the apt would be “Parshuram-Bharosey” with both individual school authority and Directorate of Education, passing the buck, leaving the students and parents in a dangerous lurch.
Seems like, #GoaModel is not being taken too far, by the Balrath Scheme of Government of Goa?