Punjab school van tragedy: 1,649 vehicles challaned

Chandigarh: Two days after four children were charred to death in a fire tragedy involving a ramshackle van in Punjab's Sangrur, the state transport department

on Monday checked 4,504 vehicles, of which 1,649 were challaned and 253 impounded for not complying with the rules of the Motor Vehicles

Act.

A spokesperson said the drive would continue in order to ensure that all such vehicles adhere to the norms for security and safety of school children.

After the fire tragedy, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had ordered the transport department to launch a major crackdown and check road worthiness and fitness of school vehicles.

Under the drive, the authorities checked overloading, fitness of vehicles, presence of fire extinguishers in buses and

first aid box, among other things.

They also checked private vehicles like three-wheelers arranged by parents for sending their children to schools.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government will honour class nine student Amandeep Kaur for showing "exemplary courage" by saving four children from the school van fire.

The chief minister said that 14-year-old Amandeep would be conferred the bravery award on Independence Day and the state government will sponsor her education.

Four children were charred to death when a nearly-30-year-old, illegally run, ramshackle van of a private school ferrying students back home caught fire in Punjab's Sangrur district on Saturday.

The children, who were trapped inside the burning van and burnt alive, included a nearly three-year-old girl, visiting the school for the first

time.

The 1990's-model, petrol vehicle, fitted with an LPG cylinder, itself was bought by the school authorities on

Friday and deployed to ferry children for the first time on Saturday.