Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said that in the last one year over six lakh challans were issued to traffic violators, which is almost half the number of driving licences issued by Transport Department.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Road Safety Week in Panjim, the Chief Minister appealed to the people to avoid accidents and reduce deaths through mishaps.
“Over six lakh people were fined last year. That is virtually 50 percent of the licences have been fined. Some of them have been fined multiple times. But nothing changes. Therefore increase in fines is a good thing,” Parrikar said.
He said that 600 families are suffering every year in Goa due to accidents because of permanent disability and deaths due to accidents. “That trauma and loss are irreversible, that is the reason we need to be very strict in enforcement. Road safety should be for a full year, not only a week,” Parrikar said.
He suggested that party goers in Goa car-pool after a party and said, “Abroad, there is a practice that one person doesn’t drink that day at the party. He is the one who drops everyone home. I think we should start these good practices and avoid accidents and reduce deaths.”
He added, “I think it should also be the responsibility of the bar owner to ensure that the person, who goes out after a particular time, or one who has had more than one peg, doesn’t drive.”
He had some advice for the police not to entertain calls from anyone, including politicians, if anyone is found violating a traffic rule.
“I told the police not to take phone calls. If anyone has a selfie with me, that doesn’t mean that I know him or he is close to me. Don’t go by external influence, don’t take defaulters mobile in your hand,” the Chief Minister said.
