The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : HC reserves verdict on speed governors

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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

HC reserves verdict on speed governors

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnakata High Court on Saturday reserved for orders a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking installation of speed control devices (speed governors) in all transport vehicles.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda reserved orders on the petition after the State and Central Governments, Transporters’ Association and others made their submissions.

Earlier, the State Government informed the Bench that it had referred to the Visvesvaraya Technical University (VTU), Belgaum, after complaints by transporters that certain technical hitches prevented speed governors from being installed in certain categories of vehicles. The report on the complaints was awaited.

The Bench took the State to task, saying that the Government itself had issued a notification making it mandatory for all new transport vehicles to install speed governors from July 1, 2007, if they are to be registered in Karnataka. Though the notification has not been stayed by the court or withdrawn by the Government, it has not been implemented so far.

The State said it had on Thursday issued instructions to all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in the State, asking them to register new public transport vehicles only if they are fitted with speed governors. The Bench reserved verdict on the issue.

School taken to task

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda also dismissed an appeal by Surekha International School of Bangalore challenging the report of the Investigating Officer (IO) appointed by the Upa Lokayukta to go into the issue of the death of a student in the school.

A student of the school had died on March 10, 2007, when a brick fell on him from a building under construction in the school premises.

The Upa Lokayukta had initiated suo motu action and appointed an IO to investigate the incident.

The IO had given a report, pointing out several deficiencies. The school had challenged the report.

The Bench dismissed the petition, saying that the school would have a grievance only if action was taken against it on the basis of the report and not before.

Earlier, the court came down heavily on the school and asked how it could imperil lives of students by violating zonal regulations and construct two unauthorised floors.

The school replied that it had obtained sanction for two floors and that it had applied for regularisation of two more floors.

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