New Delhi: It was a first time in 20 years that no death cases of drink and drive were reported during this New Year in Goa, all thanks to the innumerable measures planned by the state government. Realising the impact of imposing stringent rules, the Manohar Parrikar government will soon come out with a new rule to reduce the overall number of drink and drive cases. As per the new rule, owners of the outlets serving alcohol will be held accountable if the guest leaves the bar drunk post 11pm and indulges in driving. Addressing a gathering at Canacona taluka, located on the Goa-Karnataka border, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar discussed about the possible new rule and said, “We are introducing a measure in the upcoming budget session to fix responsibility on a bar owner to ensure that any person who is drunk and leaves the bar after 11 pm doesn’t drive or ride back home on his own”.
To strengthen the checking of drink and drive further, the government has directed the state police department to initiate stringent action against those driving in an inebriated state. It has also invested Rs 36 lakh to procure additional 100 alcometers (breath analysers) to curb drink-driving.
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The government will take action against wrong lane driving and drink-driving, especially in the night. Police have procured 100 alcometers (used to measure alcohol content in body) at a cost of Rs 36 lakh, he said.
So, if a group goes for a party, let one be sober without drinks. Such a step is required to reduce accidental deaths on the road, he added.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the state of death caused in road accidents and said majority of them are due to rash and negligent driving or drink-driving, “Last year 320 people died on Goa roads, while the figure was 336 in the previous year.”
Giving out his personal encounter of riding a bike, Chief Minister Parrikar said he has stopped using two-wheelers. He also gave a reason for quitting and said he feared a road accident as he used to often delve in work related thoughts while riding a scooter. He said one has to be fully focused when riding or driving a vehicle.
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People ask me whether I travel on a scooter. I tell them that I don’t anymore. My mind is filled with work related thoughts and if I ride my scooter while my mind is somewhere else, then I could meet with an accident, chief minister Parrikar told the gathering in Canacona on Saturday.
He also appealed the locals to patiently deal with drunken tourists and make them understand the ill-effects of drinking and driving, “Even if some tourists commit mistake, don’t assault them as it does not fit in the character of Goans. Make them understand their mistake and let them go.”
Apart from introducing the bar owner responsibility rule, the government plans to initiate a slew of measures to curb drink-driving related accidents. The state tourist department had earlier this month convened a special meeting to discuss measures that would help the state stash road accidents by 50 per cent by 2020. From increasing the number of existing safety devices like interceptors, speed guns and alcometers, introducing a curriculum on road safety in educational institutions to increasing road signages, several road safety-related issues were highlighted by the transport ministry.
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With inputs from PTI
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