GUWAHATI, Nov 17 - Demanding safer roads for all, the Consumers� Legal Protection Forum, Assam, (CLPFA), with the support of Consumer VOICE, Delhi, and in association with Chakshu, Guwahati, organised a peace walk on Sunday to mark the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
Many citizens, students and media persons participated in the event. This year�s slogan was �Life is not a Car Part�.
Inaugurating the peace walk, Dr Karavi Barman, principal in-charge of NEF Law College, said that about 1.3 million people die every year on roads and 20-50 million sustain non-fatal injuries. Road traffic accidents are a major cause of death among all age groups and the leading cause of death among those aged 15-29 years.
Before starting the walk, CLPFA secretary Ajoy Hazarika, in his welcome speech, said, �The most effective ways to reduce road crash deaths is through strengthening road safety laws. According to the Road Transport and Highways Ministry, half-a-million accidents are reported in India every year, in which 1.5 lakh people lose their lives. We urge the Government of Assam to strongly implement the new rules of the MVA, 2019 in the state.�
Two other NGOs, Round Table India (RTI) and Ladies Circle India (LCI), in association with Guwahati Traffic Police, organised a public awareness programme on Sunday on the GS Road where car drivers were apprised of the loss of lives due to ambulance delays.
RTI and LCI members urged drivers to pledge to �Give way to ambulance�. The initiative was aimed at making the citizens of Guwahati help reduce the time for patients on ambulances in getting medical attention.
During the initiative, members of both the NGOs interacted with car drivers, made them take a pledge, pasted stickers on their cars and distributed chocolates.
