Road carnage -- GOVT. MUST ACT ! By Valmiki Faleiro
A Government committed to the welfare of its citizens will not sit pretty when two citizens die and eight suffer injuries in 10+ road accidents, every (average) day. Goa does have a Government -- legislature and executive, twin arms that make and enforce the law. From the opening piece on Road Deaths, March 5, this column has seen some causes. In this concluding part, let's look at some areas where the State must step in. We have a State Road Safety Council, headed, if I err not, by the Chief Secretary. The present incumbent, J.P. Singh, an upright and pragmatic IAS officer, must instill the Council with a sense of purpose and urgency. List the causes of Goa's high accident rate AND oversee strict implementation of the solutions devised. Enforcement is the key. Transport Minister Pandurang Madkaikar's initiative, to introduce "Road Safety" at higher school, is laudable. He also announced a manual for two- wheeler riders. Take the good idea further, *Mantri-ji.* Widen its scope and make it a multi-lingual *mandatory* manual for ALL road users. Ordain the manual with the force of law (useable as evidence in courts to establish liability), as theory in driving tests. Circulate it at a subsidized rate, even gratis. A manual suited to Goa can be compiled from three excellent sources: "The Highway Code" of the U.K. (www.highwaycode.gov.uk), lent to me by Antonio Pinto of Benaulim. The 100-page booklet (Revised, 2004) deals with all road users, pedestrians to drivers, even *animals* (horse riding on public streets, not Goa's stray cattle!) I've regularly quoted from the second source. "The Driver's Manual" by Dr. Parvinder S. Pasricha (now DGP-Maharashtra), penned when he was Addl. Police Commissioner (Traffic), Mumbai, first published 1992, by Nasha Publications, 301 Lotus House, New Marine Lines, Mumbai-400 020. The third source is official: "Rules of the Road," at Appendix-II to the Rules framed under India's MV Act, 1988. Shedding flab, a 40- to 50-page manual in each language can easily be compiled. Introduce the system of penalty points, leading to suspension of licence (and revocation, in incorrigible cases), imperative to curb recklessness. Raise the quantum of penalties in the MV Act, to be deterrent. Where willful acts cause death (remember the trucker who stamped out Mohm. Adnani and family at Guirim?) provisions for homicide / murder in the Criminal Procedure Code must be incorporated into the MV Act. Corruption at every level of Police and RTO precludes meaningful enforcement. Appoint honorary Traffic Wardens -- wo/men in mufti, with powers to fine, arrest and impound. Public Prosecutor SB Faria has shown the way, straightening out many an errant driver. Many Farias lie in the wings ... retired judges, magistrates, notaries. Spare some thought to road geometry, widths, dividers, painting and signage, too. The bottom line is, we must begin looking at the issue with the grave degree of seriousness it reflects -- each one of us, members of government and road users. Cutting Goa's appalling road carnage is a responsibility we all share. Aren't two lives a day just enough? To wind up, as I said on March 5, this plainly was a lay account of 25 years' riding / driving, no pretence to expertise on road safety. A retired Traffic SP whose knowledge I respect, was critical in saying that writing articles won't help. Policemen need not know how the Press works in creating public awareness. If what I wrote in the past three months kindles thought to help save even a single life, I'd consider the effort more than rewarded. To Atmaram S. Gauns of Davorlim (who taught me to drive), to Vivek K. Naik of Margao (whose casual comment sprung this series) -- and to SAFER ROADS in Goa! <b>Tailpiece:</b> Another memorable accident, early 1980s. Goa Minister, Luizinho Faleiro (LF), then MLA, had earned enough to buy a 2nd-hand *Amby* and learn to drive. Packed with constituents and headed for Panjim, Antonio Pereira (heir to the Conde de Mayem) and I were in the car. Despite pleas to curb bravado and drive slow, LF proceeded to overtake a truck. He swerved much to the right, too fast, missed a girl on bicycle, swerved back to the left, almost hit the side of the truck, panicked, turned jerkily right again ... and into the roadside paddy fields. Some 50 metres ahead, a file of *Niz Goenkar* women were bent down de-weeding, backs towards us. Despite a soft landing and the wet muck, the car hurtled, LF screaming, "Brake fail, brake fail!" Antonio, sitting by LF, took one look and quickly pulled off LF's right leg ... pressed hard on an *un-failed* accelerator. Poor women, just one turned to see the improvised tractor headed their way, before all scampered screaming *Mujh avoi, pavai re, pavai re!* Traffic came to a standstill, watching the spectacle near where Margao's KTC bus stand is today. Antonio, reportedly an ex-commando in the Portuguese Army, quickly took the wheel and reversed out. Heaven knows when the horrified women regained daylights. (ENDS) The Valmiki Faleiro weekly column at: http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=330 ============================================================================== The above article appeared in the May 28, 2006 edition of the Herald, Goa _____________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. Goanet mailing list (Goanet@goanet.org)