Ponda: Now a days the Police Department have planned a scheme for traffic violating civilians by appointing sentinels. Similarly, the demand among civilians is that why this sentinel scheme is not implemented for violations and offences, corrupt practices by police, government servants, bribes, negligence in duty causing hardship to public.?
Traffic Police Officials at Ponda gave information that they booked more than 50,000 cases of traffic violations. Further the Ponda Police Officials said the staff of Ponda Police booked around 15000 cases, while the challans through sentinels is learnt to be around more than 11000recovering fines to the tune of several crores. Thus, more than 75000challans were issued for people for their violations and most of it are from the City where people are riding without helmet becoming easy targets of sentinels.
The Civilians in Ponda City are facing great hardship at Ponda due to the pothole ridden roads which are not tarred for several year due to ongoing road digging works of gas laying lines, STP lines. Further the roads condition is such that people are complaining of back pain and discomfort to the spinal cord. Milind Naik Professor at Ponda said he is facing neck back pain due to worst road condition. Further it is difficult to take even four-wheeler in City due to shortage of parking space in Ponda. Considering this aspect the PMC has also passed resolution demanding relaxation in City limit for helmet. But the harassment has continued and people have clicked photos from the rear for not wearing helmet. Locals questions if awareness would increase if photos are clicked from the rear of the vehicles. Nobodyis opposed to wearing helmet on the highway but since the city limit is small and road are filled with traffic congestion, pedestrians etc even PMC Councillors too demanded a relaxation within city limits.
Without creating the infrastructure, the harassment by traffic sentinels for obeying traffic rule is a major issue of debate in Ponda and also local Media news channels in Goa. The two Congress MLAs Ravi Naik and Digambar Kamath and even BJP MLA Michal Lobo questioned the implementation of this scheme causing harassment to the public and implementing it without proper awareness and infrastructure in place.
Vishal Fadte said the Police Department has planned a traffic sentinel scheme for traffic violations by civilians despite there being no proper infrastructure in place, shortage of parking spaces, Pothole ridden roads etc. The department he said was defending the scheme through newspapers. The Police Officials in TV debates claimed accidents occurs on both good and bad roads and justified that even if no proper infrastructure is in place the public is bound to follow traffic rules.
