To create awareness about road safety measures and women safety, the Uttarakhand Police would organise a half marathon on December 17. The Secretary of Uttarakhand Police Board, Ashok Kumar told newsmen here on Wednesday that last year the State Police had organised a successful half marathon with a theme ‘Run Against drugs - Run against corruption’.
He said the objective of last year’s marathon was to create awareness among youth about substance abuse and its ill effects and the event was a huge success.
Kumar said enthused by the success of last year’s event Uttarakhand police is organising another half marathon again this year.
He informed that every year about 1.5 lakh people lose their lives in accidents due to which family, society and nation face great loss. In Uttarakhand about 950 people lose their lives in accidents while about 1600 are injured every year in road accidents. Ashok Kumar added about 2500 cases of crime against women are registered every year in the State.
He said five categories had been made for the half marathon. These are 21 km (Open), 21 km (45 year and above), 7 km (12 to 18 years), 7 km (open) and 7 km (45 years and above).
Kumar said the registration for the event was free and prizes worth Rs 10 lakh had been kept for it. Every category would have separate events for male and females. Certificates and timing chips would be provided to every participant.
Ashok Kumar said about 4,700 people have so far registered online for the event. The half marathon would commence and culminate at Police lines Race Course. live streaming of the event would be done on social media platforms like Facebook, You Tube and Twitter. Proper medical facilities and security arrangements would be made on the entire route of the marathon. A cultural event would be organised at the end of the marathon.
Ashok Kumar further informed that a massive campaign on road and women safety would be undertaken in the schools and colleges before the event. A seminar on the subject would be held on November 25 at St Joseph Academy. Students, representatives of bus and auto unions, NGOs and students of different colleges and universities would participate in the event. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Garhwal range Pushpak Jyoti, Additional Inspector General (AIG) traffic Kewal Khurana, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dehradun Nivedita Kukreti, additional SP Dehradun Pradeep Rai were also present on the occasion.