Patna Extends Ban on Diesel School Buses

The Patna district administration has decided to close 76 government schools in rural areas until August 31 due to the rising water levels of the Ganga. In a bid to improve air quality, Patna will implement a ban on diesel-run school buses starting September 1, affecting the entire Patna Municipal Corporation area and neighboring regions. This policy aims to transition to greener alternatives, as currently less than 10% of school buses are powered by compressed natural gas (CNG). Meanwhile, in P.E.I., the government is controversially replacing 30 aging school buses with new diesel ones this year, despite plans to fully transition to electric buses by 2030 due to a lack of federal funding. The Minister of Environment in P.E.I. expressed that this decision was not optimal but necessary to ensure transportation needs are met. Both regions illustrate the ongoing struggles to balance environmental goals with immediate logistical concerns in school transportation.