Odisha to offer cash reward for carrying accident victims to hospitals

Odisha Sun Times Bureau:
Bhubaneswar, Jan 8:

The Odisha government is preparing a state road safety policy in which Good Samaritans would be given cash rewards for carrying accident victims to hospitals, state Commerce and Transport Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi informed today here.

During the Odisha Road Safety Society (ORSS) meetin here, the minister asked the officials to identify accident-prone areas in the state and take preventive measures to minimise accidents.

The minister also asked the officials to take stringent actions to discourage drunken driving, over-speeding, jumping traffic signals, and against other violators.

The footpath and cycle-tracks prepared under the Bhubaneswar Municipality area are not being used by the citizens. Rather, it is noticed that they have been encroached by street vendors. The minister asked the officials to free these from encroachers.

During the meeting, members were of the view that roadside hoarding and advertising boards are obstructing the view on the roads thereby adding to the number of accidents. These apart, explicit advertisements distracting drivers are one of the reasons for increasing accidents. For this, separate laws should be formulated, they said.

In a bid to increase road safety awareness among students, road safety norms should be incorporated in their syllabus, the members proposed.

The meeting passed a resolution to open trauma centres at various places in the state.

Among others, Commerce and Transport Secretary Sanjay Rastogi, Transport Commissioner M Akshay, Works Secretary Nalinikanta Pradhan, ORSS members and staff were present.