Jharkhandis willing to help, road accident survivors need not worry about harassment by the police anymore. A new policy by the Government promises to ensure that life savers in cases of road mishaps will not be questioned unnecessarily, and instead be rewarded for their work.
The Good Samaritan Policy, approved by the State Cabinet recently, is expected to not only save lives but also instill the feeling of responsibility towards the safety and well being of fellow citizens among Jharkhand residents, Disaster Management Minister Banna Gupta said on Thursday.
As per the policy, any person bringing a road accident survivor to hospital within an hour since the mishap will be rewarded cash prize of up to Rs.2000 and be conferred a certificate of appreciation, stating that the person is a good Samaritan and that the state is proud of his efforts.
“In many cases, it has been noticed that people are apprehensive about helping road accident survivors as they fear that the police might harass them. Now on, any person who helps a road accident survivor will not have to disclose his or her identity and will not be unnecessarily questioned by the law enforcement agencies,” said Gupta, adding that the policy was aimed at reducing fatalities due to road accidents in Jharkhand.
Doctors say that the first hour after an accident is crucial as the chances of saving the survivor is much higher during this period even if the survivor has sustained severe injuries.
“During my practice, I have seen that most of the accident survivors who are brought to the hospital within an hour since the mishap respond better to treatment and have a lower chance of developing health complications caused by injuries,” said Dr. Ajit Kumar of Sadar Hospital in Ranchi.
Usually, commoners prefer calling an ambulance instead of taking an accident survivor to the hospital themselves fearing police harassment. However, this apprehension often leads to loss of time, which may trigger major health issues in survivors or even cause deaths.
The Disaster Management Department has been on a mission to save lives and ensure due compensation to the victims of road accidents in Jharkhand. In December, the department, in a meeting chaired by Gupta, also decided to pay a compensation of Rs.1 lakh to the kin of all the victims of road accidents in Jharkhand irrespective of their economic class, caste, community and gender.
“This is the first time that any government in Jharkhand has taken such an initiative for the victims of road accidents,” said Gupta, adding that all residents of Jharkhand will be able to benefit from this scheme.