HYDERABAD: School managements have voiced their concern at the orders of the district administration to replace school buses that are more than 15 years old, by October 1. Moving swiftly, the Road Transport Authority identified 215 such buses in the twin cities ferrying children everyday.

"We are not averse to the resolution itself. But the Government cannot bring in such rules in the middle of the year when we have finished painting and repairing buses," argues managing director of San Marina Group of which St. Andrew's High School is a part, A.M. Emanuel. The school runs 35 buses for students and "if they are suddenly withdrawn, children will be put to hardship."

Echoing these views, principal of Shivani International School Uma Sampathy says such rules should be introduced at the beginning of the academic year. "Our vehicles were already given the fitness certificate when the school started this year. So why should they be withdrawn now?" she asks.

With the deadline for phasing out old buses fixed for September 30, school managements contend that there is too little time. "Schools do not make that kind of money to change their fleet of buses in the middle of the year," said Ms. Sampathy

School managements with their own fleet of buses, alleging that they were being singled out, say enforcement agencies were coming out with contradictory orders. While the city police had asked the schools to provide school buses, the Collector and the RTA ordered the withdrawal of 15-year-old school buses.

Buses safer

Though the police authorities have said that autorickshaws should not have more than six children, autorickshaws continue to carry more than six children. "A 15-year-old bus is safer than an autorickshaw which carries 10 children," says Mr. Emanuel.

The argument cuts no ice with the RTA authorities, who say that the lives of children are more precious than the inconvenience schools face.

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