Private schools in Patna have urged the state government to extend the deadline to its ban on plying diesel powered school buses at least for three years so that operators get sufficient time to convert their vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG), the schools said.

 

More than one lakh students of private schools use school buses run by private operators and individual institutions in the city.

In February, the state government had banned the operation of diesel-run school buses in the Patna Municipal Corporation area to prevent air pollution. The deadline for the ban was initially September 1. But the government decided to extend it till September 10 following requests from the schools and operators. 

 

The schools are of the opinion that only a small number of operators have been able to replace the diesel operated vehicles since February and students will face problems if these vehicles are not allowed to ply for some more time.

 

Shamael Ahmed, president of the Private Schools and Children Welfare Association said there are approximately 1800 school buses in Patna of which around 900 are run by the individual schools and nearly the same number by private operators.

 

Less than 10 percent of the diesel vehicles have been replaced with CNG after the state government issued the order on the ban on these vehicles.

 

“Nearly one lakh students depend on the school buses for going to school and returning home. Many of them will be affected if the existing buses are not allowed to ply on the roads. The operators should be given at least three years to convert their vehicles to CNG,” Ahmed told EducationWorld.

 

Some operators said they had purchased the diesel buses only a few months before the government took the decision on banning diesel run school buses. 

 

“We understand that it is necessary to introduce CNG vehicles to address air pollution. But we should get enough time to replace the existing vehicles with new CNG  buses,” said Ahmed

 

According to him he has recently met with state education minister Sunil Kumar and discussed the problems faced by the students and requested him to accept the association’s demand to extend the deadline at least for three years.

 

According to a section of private operators, the government has also announced phasing out of diesel powered private buses and government buses. But many are still seen plying on the roads.

 

According to Ahmed, “There is no doubt that there is rising pollution. But school buses contribute less pollution as they ply on the roads only for  few hours.”

 

A source in the government, however, said diesel buses should not be used for school children as they can have many negative effects on their health.

 

According to him, diesel vehicles are still being allowed despite the ban considering the requests from the schools and operators. But the government cannot allow the existing buses for too long. A decision will be made soon on how much more time can be given to the operators to complete the process of converting the vehicles to CNG.