SHILLONG, SEPT 24: More people have died or have been injured due to drunken driving than in 20-odd years of militancy in Meghalaya. Between 2010 to 2014 over 400 people have died and more than 1700 injured in cases related to drunken driving in Meghalaya from 2010 to 2014.
This was the observation made by UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh during the question hour in the state assembly on Thursday.
Meghalaya home minister Roshan Warjri dished out the figure on Thursday while replying to the queries put up by UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh.
Warjri informed the house that from 2010 to 2014, 463 people died due to drunken driving in the entire state.
In 2010, 94 people died while the corresponding figure for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 was 92, 92, 89 and 96, respectively. Warjri said from 2010 to 2014, 1,772 persons were injured due to drunken driving. The figure in 2010 was 394 persons while the figure in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 was 274, 311, 402, and 391, respectively.
Lyngdoh said “The figures are alarming. In five years, more people have died or have been injured due to drunken driving than in 20-odd years of militancy in Meghalaya.”
Warjri also informed that from 2010 to 2014, 557 persons were booked for drunken driving, and these include 211 regular cases and 346 non-FIR cases. She however said there is no definitive study to indicate the reason for the increase in drunken driving.
Warjri informed that the law enforcement have been taking several steps to stop drunken driving. Elaborating on the steps she said mobile courts along with magistrates, mobile checkpoints, and mobile patrolling are randomly conducted, vehicles are checked, and drivers found to be under the influence of alcohol are booked under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.
However, Lyngdoh said the visibility of the mobile courts was almost “zero” in places like the national highways, Shillong bypass, and the Shillong-Sohra road. But Warjri asserted that mobile courts were held on a daily basis.
Warjri also said awareness programmes are being held by the district police to sensitise about the criminal liability of drunken driving and the dangers it poses to life and property. She informed the excise department was helping in eliminating/checking illicit liquor as far as possible.
Replying to UDP legislator TW Chyne query on the sale of liquor along the national highways, Warjri said the state cabinet had recently taken decisions to amend excise rules for regulating the location of various Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and beer retail off licence or retail on licences.
Wajri said this amendment, no IMFL or beer retail of licences or retail on licences would be issued in areas within a distance of 200 metres from any place of worship or educational institution or hospitals, and also no licence granted for retail sale of liquor or any other intoxicants at any site situated within 100 metres from the midpoint of any national or state highway.
The Supreme Court had issued a directive to all state governments to review and modify the relevant laws and rules in order to ensure accident-free driving and safety of all road users in the country. – By Our Reporter
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