Neeraj Rohmetra
Jammu, July 31: Alarmed over the spurt in road fatalities in the State, Governor N N Vohra has taken up the issue with Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah to urgently work out an action plan for the entire State. Besides, the Governor has also urged the Ministers of the coalition Government to take suitable measure for implementation of the action plan in view of sensitivity of the matter.
These assurances have been given by the State Governor in response to the letter dated July 7th written by former Union Minister and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, wherein the latter had expressed his concern over the recurring road accidents in the State.
The reply sent by Raj Bhavan, which is in possession of EXCELSIOR says, “as you (Ghulam Nabi Azad) have rightly mentioned, road fatalities have shown rapid spurt in our State and this is a matter of deep concern for all citizens of the State”, adding, “In this regards, I would like to inform you that I also took up the matter with the Chief Minister, urging him to lend due attention to this humanitarian issue”.
The documents further says, “the matter will be taken up vigorously with the concerned Central Government agencies, besides counselling the Congress Ministers of the State Government to display alacrity and sensitivity in implementing the proposed action plan worked out, after thorough deliberations and consultations, under your kind guidance”.
Earlier, on July 7, this year, former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad while referring to Excelsior News Report in a written communication said, “I have seen a recent news report (Daily Excelsior of 17th June, 2014), which reflects your (Governor) concern about the recurring road accidents, which take a very heavy toll in J&K, year after year. You have also suggested the establishment of an expert group to study and recommend the required remedial measures”.
“25,945 road accidents took place in the last three years (2011-14), leading to death of 4,322 innocent persons, young and old”, says the letter addressed to Raj Bhavan adding, “I have also been concerned about the very large number of accidents which take place on our roads. Nearly a thousand persons are being killed and several thousand injured every year”, said Mr Azad.
“In this context, I had, after a number of discussions with the concerned State Government authorities, addressed the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways to depute a team of experts to study our problems and advise our concerned authorities”, the letter says.
While condemning the conventional ritual of offering sympathies after major tragedies occur, former Union Minister wrote, “In my view, the stage has come to go far beyond merely conveying sympathy to the next of kin of those, who lose their lives in the recurring fatal accidents”, adding, “while, I shall continue to urge the State Government to take effective action to deal with this extremely worrying problem, I feel that it would strengthen the cause if you (Mr Vohra) were to appropriately raise this issue with the concerned Central agencies and also goad your Ministerial colleagues in the State Government to implement tangible measures”.
While referring about his meeting with Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah in the context, Mr Azad wrote, “I had also suggested to the Chief Minister to establish an Empowered Task Force to deal with each factor, which contributes to the recurring accidents and enforce strict accountability of all stakeholders. I was subsequently informed that the State Government has decided to prepare Road Safety Policy and a Bill for creation of the Road Safety Council”.
“About two years ago, I had arranged for a group of Central experts to meet senior representatives of all the concerned State Government Departments at the Raj Bhavan”, the letter says.
Pertinently, time and again Raj Bhavan has been expressed its deep anguish on the level of rising road accidents across the State.
On July 8, this year while sharply reacting to the death of nine employees of the Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department in a tragic accident near Sinthan Top, the Governor N N Vohra had criticized the concerned Departments.
Expressing his deep anguish over the incident, the Governor had categorically stated that while over a thousand innocent persons lose their lives in recurring road accidents every year, the concerned authorities have still to implement strict tangible measures to remedy the situation.
Again on July 17, this year while reacting over the death of eight people including Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) in district Kishtwar, the Governor had, in his message, once again urged the Transport and Police Departments, and all other concerned agencies, to lose no more time in enforcing the required remedial steps.
Even on earlier occasion also, Raj Bhavan has been critical about the functioning of the concerned Departments, but nothing seems to have moved, officials sources remarked.
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