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’Road accidents’ need to be controlled: Pramod Madhwaraj


Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Dec 05, 2016: Udupi in-charge Minister, Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Services and Sports,  said on Dec 4, Sunday that more efforts should be made to reduce road accidents in the country. He was speaking as the chief guest at the managing committee meeting of the State unit of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) here. Mr. Madhwaraj said that there were more people losing their lives in road accidents in the country when compared to China. This, despite the fact, that China’s population is more than that of India.

 

Most of the deaths during road accidents took place owing to the delay in taking the accident victims to the hospitals or because first aid was not given to the victims immediately after the accident. When persons injured in the accidents were taken to the hospitals, they were asked for money, resulting in precious loss of time. Hence, the State government has launched the Mukhyamantri Harish Santwana Yojane, under which hospitals had to give free medical treatment to accident victims for the initial 48 hours. The State government provides Rs. 25,000 to the accident victims irrespective of their financial status.

The intention behind the scheme was that no accident victim suffered from the want of medical attention. The relatives of the victim could be informed in 48 hours and later they could help the former, he said.  Most of the road accidents took place owing to faulty driving. Hence, it was essential to give a refresher course to the drivers of various vehicles. This will help reduce road accidents and deaths owing to these accidents, he added.

According to Minister Madhwaraj, of the 1,000 persons, who went to the Regional Transport Office to get Driving Licence, 900 got them. But the driving tests were more stringent in the West. “It is mandatory that proper training in driving be given,” he said.

The Indian Red Cross Society was rendering a yeoman service to society by making people aware of the importance of voluntary blood donation. Blood was required for various emergencies and so far there was no method to get blood other than through donation.  Basrur Rajeev Shetty, chairman of the State unit of IRCS, Appa Rao, vice-chairman, Ashok Kumar S, general secretary, Umesh P., president, district unit of IRCS, Ramachandra K., secretary, and others participated.