Transport Commissioner Manoj Ahuja held a meeting of the Odisha Road Safety Society recently and categorically instructed the society members to involve NGOs in the safety awareness drive to control the mishaps on roads.
The Odisha Road Safety Society (ORSS) was formed in 1996. The main objective of the society was to make the drivers and road users aware of safety measures.
Attending the meeting, the members and stakeholders lamented that although the funding to the Society comes from various sources but very little is spent.
Those who attended the meeting included NGO representatives, RTOs of 30 districts, members of bus and truck associations across the State, besides Sankha Dhwani Rasta Suraksha Samiti secretary Prakash Kumar Mohapatra, who is a member of the society. The issue such as funding of Rs 70 lakh to home guards and Rs 40 lakh to the Commissionerate of police for purchase of equipment and cranes was discussed. The meeting also took up the issue of merging 1073 toll free ambulance services operated by the department with 108-ambulance fleet.
The Commissioner said awareness and sensitization is most important at present for the drivers and road users to control road accidents. He called upon everyone to support the road safety awareness drive. Notably, every month nearly 20 people are killed on the road, around 70 people get injured and properties worth nearly Rs 5 cores get damaged due to road mishaps in the State. The reason for the spate of accidents is lack of awareness on road safety and enforcement of laws.