Team Herald
PANJIM: A day after he announced that there would be no tinkering with the fines imposed by Centre in the amended Motor Vehicle Act; Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho said he would hold discussions with his counterparts in other States on the issue.
“I will be in Delhi tomorrow for a Transport Ministers’ conclave and as such all transport ministers would be present. I will discuss with them what they intend to do on the implementation of fines,” he said.
Godinho says, “Personally I feel the fines are too much. Imagine someone paying Rs 1,000 for not wearing a helmet that’s too much but I cannot help as it is a central act and as the Attorney General said the States cannot tinker with the fines.”
The minister says he will discuss the whole issue and then move a proposal to the Cabinet for approval,” he said.
The minister said that the fines are not a punishment or to raise revenue but to impose discipline.
“People should not get offended by the new act and fines,” he said adding “The proposal will be placed before the next cabinet and thereafter the act would be implemented in Goa.”
After Uttarakhand and Gujarat lowered the fine amount, the Attorney General of India made it clear that States are not authorised to bring any change in the acts passed by the Centre.
While the legislation has come into force in other parts of the country, the Goa government deferred its enforcement after the public protested against the terrible road conditions in the State.
