MARGAO/PANAJI
On the eve of World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, citizens and consumer rights activists called upon the state government to implement the directions issued by the Supreme Court to reduce the accident death rate by 50 per cent and implement the compensation schemes for the victims of road accidents.
The citizens held a candle light awareness programme in front of the South Goa Administrator of Comunidades building on Saturday evening to remember the victims who have either died in road accidents or have sustained injuries in accidents.
With the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic victims on November 17 centred on the theme Remember, Support and Act, the citizens pointed out that this year’s theme is appropriate and proper for the simple reason that many a time people tend to forget the victims of road accidents and their families and also forget the circumstances.
GOACAN Coordinator Roland Martins later told the media that while the world is observing November 17 as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic victims, GOACAN will observe 10-day programme culminating on Sustainable Transport Day on November 26. “The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic victims is important for the reason that people are dying on the road in accidents, with many suffering injuries and we tend to forget the victims and what is happening to these families”, he said.
The programme highlighted the responsibility of the government to implement the Supreme Court orders to reduce the road accidents deaths by fifty per cent. “We have also highlighted the importance of implementation for compensation schemes for the victims, including the Goa state accident victim compensation scheme and the new scheme in hit and run cases”, he said.
Social activist Joseph Vaz stressed on the need for spreading the Good Samaritan scheme in order to motivate the people to lend a helping hand to the road accident victims.
“Many a time, people are afraid to assist road accident victims out of fear that they might land in trouble, besides harassment by the police. A law has been enacted after approval by the Supreme Court that those volunteering to help the road accident victims are compensated for their help and assistance. We have to publicize the scheme so that people volunteer to assist the road accident victims”, he added.
Martins also made a strong pitch to the Transport department to revive all the bus routes and put in place a system wherein bus permits are given to operators interested in plying buses on certain routes. “We need good public transport to stop the increase vehicular population on the roads. “A good public transport will ensure less number of two-wheelers on the roads and less congestion. But, what we see is the opposite, there are reduced number of bus trips putting public to inconveniences”, he added.
Among its key demands is the setting up of an exclusive website to be hosted by the Lead Agency (supported by the Directorate of Transport and Traffic Police) to provide updates on Court cases filed due to drunken driving, rash and negligent driving, and hit and run cases. The three offenses are said to be major contributors to fatalities and grievous injuries.
The initiative will also call for regular site inspections and accident analysis reports to be conducted by police station-wise sub-committees.
Mobilizing volunteers from village-based consumer forums and campus-based consumer welfare clubs to create awareness about the rise in road accident fatalities, paying tribute to road traffic victims in a special manner, etc will be held.
“We will further reach out to the Panchayat and Municipal Road Safety and Traffic Management Committees to remember the Road Traffic Victims. Need to discuss road safety and an action plan for an efficient public transport system in the villages and towns will also be initiated,” he said.
