It is common knowledge that wearing helmets and seat belts while riding and driving, respectively, on roads is imperative to your own safety. But if the government authorities are so concerned about public safety, then does that not involve ensuring proper roads with adequate lighting? If those flouting traffic rules are liable to be penalised, then in the same vein, isn’t the government liable to pay compensation to the public for the pathetic condition of roads that cause accidents? A few days ago, a citizen tried sourcing answers to these questions through a post on social media and triggered a whirlwind of a debate by individuals from all sections of society.
Prashant Naik, a management professional from Panjim, says, “Of course! I am a salaried person and I pay taxes. One of the duties of the government is to maintain good condition of roads with the taxes. But I am not getting any value for my money. And if that is the case then I should be compensated.”
Sanjay Dessai, a good Samaritan, has been dedicatedly managing a Facebook group, titled ‘Movement against potholes(Bad Roads), for safety of life’, for the last two years, whilst ably managing his responsibilities as the Vice Principal of Damodar College of Commerce and Economics, Margao. By creating this group, Dessai has started a movement against bad roads in the true sense by posting pictures of potholes in a bid to raise awareness, and has inspired fellow Goans to join him in the process by doing the same.
Dessai says, “The accountability of the government authorities is missing. The concerned department is supposed to be monitoring the condition of roads and repairing them accordingly. They have a dedicated budget for doing so. But that is not happening.” Dessai believes that new law should be framed to hold the government authorities responsible for the bad condition of roads.
Dr Pradnya Kamat, another Goan sensitive to this prominent issue, feels that more people should raise their voice against the concerned individuals and ‘cure’ themselves of the mute spectator syndrome. Dr Kamat, who often shuttles between Ponda and Margao, says, “The dangerous stretch of road in Borim has been under construction for the last three years. Fresh tenders are issued everytime but the potholes are still there. People need to understand that the bad condition of roads is an extremely serious issue and the high number of accidents caused by them are a strong indicator of this fact. It is far more serious than what it appears to be.”
But things are changing for the better and Dessai’s work on Facebook is a testimony. Dessai says, “Social media is very effective. After we post pictures of bad roads, the PWD department sometimes takes note of it and fills up the potholes. The pressure of being shamed is there in the minds of the government authorities. But it is a long battle. I have decided to give five years of my life to this. I hope more people join the movement and help spread awareness.”
