Team Herald
PANJIM: The much-hyped and controversial Traffic Sentinel scheme allowing citizens to report traffic violations and earn rewards in return, is stalled till the end of the year due to financial liability incurred during its implementation.
The Pramod Sawant-led cabinet has also decided to considerably reduce the reward points towards different types of violations reported under the scheme launched in November 2017.
“Pending review of the scheme as proposed, it is also proposed that the said scheme be kept in abeyance (with immediate effect) considering the substantial financial liability incurred in the implementation of the scheme, which would affect the self-sustainability of the scheme especially in view of the COVID-19 pandemic situation,” the order states.
The scheme, a brainchild of then DGP Muktesh Chander, was launched to increase compliance of traffic laws and reduce vehicle accidents and fatalities by involving the general public to report the violations. However, since then the scheme has been in controversy with the Goa government agreeing last year to review the same after receiving complaints of privacy and misuse.
The Cabinet has also decided to cap the number of points to be accumulated by any sentinel and to also reduce the weightage of the points for reporting different types of traffic violations. As per the revised scheme, which would come into effect from January 2021, once a citizen collects 250 points he/she will be rewarded with Rs 1,000 as a cash prize; which at present is Rs 1,000 per 100 points.
Similarly, the maximum number of points that can be accumulated to the credit of the sentinel shall not exceed 3,750 points per month. The Cabinet has also decided to hold orientation programmes for the sentinels every six months.
