Besides maintaining law and order in the district which is the primary duty of police, my main focus will be on reducing fatal road accidents," new Keonjhar Superintendent of Police JN Pankaj has said.
Pankaj, a 2005- batch IPS officer, has a vast experience of working as SPs of several districts and Vigilance SP of Sambalpur district.
He told The Pioneer that every year many innocent and young lives are lost due to road accidents, which is a matter of concern for everyone. In order to check this, neonatal police is doing random checking to see that no driver, be it of truck or bus, drives the vehicle under the influence of alcohol. If found guilty then fines are imposed on them. If required, their names are sent to the concerned RTOs for cancellation of their driving licences.
Pankaj said police are reportedly collecting an average of more than Rs one lakh daily in the district by imposing fines on the errant drivers. Speed-breakers are built at accident-prone areas to control speed of the vehicles. "No helmet, no petrol" is mandatory for every petrol pump in the district. Riders of two-wheelers are also advised to use branded helmets instead of using ordinary ones only to avoid police checking. Branded helmet can save the life of the victim in an accident although some minor injury may be there.
Pankaj, who is always keeping himself updated of the road safety situation, has sought cooperation of everyone for success of the mission of ensuing safety of human lives.
Sources reveal that Keonjhar, being mining hub district where thousands of trucks from different parts of the country are carrying iron ore and others minerals, also tops in country in the number of annual fatal road accidents. So, timely actions of the new SP, if carried out properly, can save many families from disastrous consequences, feel people.