The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has mooted a proposal for opening an injury surveillance bureau (ISB) to curb road accidents in metro cities.
The proposal is to be shortly submitted to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and heads of other state governments by ASSOCHAM president Venugopal N. Dhoot.
The proposal envisages that the ISB be empowered to depute police personnel and doctors in vans equipped with first-aid facilities on metro roads that are accident prone.
The ISB should be empowered to punish patrolling police parties who escape their duties towards injured victims on the jurisdiction factor.
If the proposed bureau is set up in the national Capital, other metros would follow suit.
More than 65 per cent cases of road accidents take place during the night and often they go unnoticed.
ASSOCHAM quoting official records says, deaths due to road accidents increased in India from 40,000 in 1986 to 85,000 by 2001 and the figure touched four lakh by 2007.
By 2010, the figure could multiply by at least one and half times. Vehicular traffic is witnessing an average annual growth between 18 to 20 per cent in metros and in case of Delhi, the increase is estimated to be around 30 per cent.
Source: Tribune News Service, May-05-2008
