NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo
The NHRC Bench presided over by Kanoongo issued notices to the chief secretary, Government of Punjab, and the secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, according to a press release.
NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said the commission received a complaint alleging that the buses did not meet prescribed safety standards. The complainant told us that there are partitions between the driver’s cabin and the passenger area. We were also told that the buses have been extended past the chassis, which is creating dangerous conditions,” Kanoongo said. Kanoongo said the commission had previously taken action in cases involving fires in moving sleeper buses and coaches that resulted in passenger deaths. If there’s an emergency or something goes wrong, these passengers often aren’t even able to get themselves out,” he said. It’s highly irresponsible to transport people in buses without meeting the required standards,” Kanoongo said.
NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of allegations that unsafe AC sleeper buses with possible safety violations are being used to transport pilgrims under the Punjab government’s Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana, a scheme that facilitates pilgrimage for senior citizens and economically disadvantaged people. The commission has issued notices to the Punjab chief secretary and the Union road transport ministry over concerns including blocked emergency exits, unauthorised structural modifications and inadequate fire safety arrangements. “The buses being used don’t meet the required safety standards. Basically, they’ve set up partitions right in the middle of the passenger section. “The serious thing here, though, is that the state government itself has allegedly hired buses that don’t meet safety standards. This is especially risky when they’re transporting elderly passengers. “If passengers are to get through these dangerous conditions safely, the government’s responsibility doubles. The allegations are yet to be established.