​Efforts on to reduce road accidents: Assam CM

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Guwahati, Dec 26 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday that the state administration was making all-out efforts to ensure that roads are safe so that accident-related fatalities can be reduced.

Taking to social media platform X, CM Sarma wrote, “As the holiday season fast approaches, we are taking every effort to ensure that our roads are safe and we can reduce accidents and fatalities by at least 20 per cent. Instructions have been issued for strict monitoring of vehicles and prevention of drink & drive cases.”

Chief Minister Sarma recently held a video conference with District Commissioners, Police Superintendents, and officials from the Transport and Excise Departments focusing on reviewing road accidents in the state, enforcing road safety regulations, and assessing measures taken by the Transport and Police Departments to mitigate such incidents.

During the meeting, the Transport and Police Departments provided insights into the causes of road accidents across different districts, including incidents involving driving under the influence of alcohol in Guwahati.

The Chief Minister emphasised that stringent actions will be taken statewide by January 15, 2025 to prevent driving after consuming alcohol, particularly after 10 p.m.

He also instructed the concerned departments to ensure adequate lighting at foot over-bridges and flyovers. The meeting also addressed the issue of accidents on rural roads.

He directed the Chief Secretary to ensure the installation of speed breakers at locations such as schools, hospitals, and police stations.

CM Sarma mandated the construction of two-speed breakers within every kilometre of rural roads, emphasising that their placement and design should be determined in consultation with the local villagers.

He also urged the Chief Secretary to ensure the publication of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for this initiative and highlighted the importance of incorporating street lights, speed breakers, and signboards into road construction projects.

CM Sarma issued special instructions to the Police Superintendents of border districts regarding the entry of vehicles.

He stressed the need for roadside eateries (dhabas) along national highways to provide proper parking facilities and prohibited parking of trucks in front of these establishments.

–IANS

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Bangladesh unrest has delayed execution of some vital projects: Tripura CM

Agartala, Dec 15 (IANS) The ongoing unrest in Bangladesh has delayed the execution of various projects involving the neighbouring country, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said here on Sunday.

Laying the foundation stone of seven projects at Udaipur in southern Tripura’s Gomati district, the Chief Minister said the ‘Maitri Setu’ built over the Feni River connecting India and Bangladesh by road was ready for operation but due to unrest in the neighbouring country cannot be utilised yet.

Besides the ‘Maitri Setu’, there are other projects which have also been delayed in view of the unrest in Bangladesh, he said, adding that the double-lane bridge would be the gateway for all the northeastern states to connect with various parts of the world using the Chittagong International Seaport. The seaport is 72 km from southern Tripura.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his former Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated the ‘Maitri Setu’ on March 9, 2021

The 1.888 km long double-lane ‘Maitri Setu’, built at the Indian expenditure of Rs 129 crore, connects Sabroom in southern Tripura with Chittagong seaport in Bangladesh via Ramgarh.

CM Saha said that to attract investment, the state government has allocated Rs 7,000 crore in the state budget for the development of infrastructure.

“With the World Bank assistance, the state government has been implementing Rs 1,400 crore multi-purpose projects for the all-round socio-economic development of the tribals in Tripura,” the Chief Minister said.

Tribals constitute one-third of Tripura’s around four million population.

Expressing his concern over the growing drug menace, CM Saha, who also holds the Home and Health portfolios, said the state government has decided to set up one drug addiction centre in each of the eight districts of the state.

The Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) Ministry has sanctioned Rs 200 crore for setting up de-addiction centres.

–IANS

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B’luru man kills self over Rs 3 cr divorce settlement demand; body for harassed men to move SC

Bengaluru, Dec 11 (IANS) Following the death of an automobile company executive from Uttar Pradesh in Bengaluru allegedly over the demand of Rs 3 crore for a divorce settlement and allegations against the sitting judge, the Ekam Nyay Foundation, fighting for the rights of men, is preparing to approach the Supreme Court.

Atul Subhash, 34, ended his life in his apartment in Marathahalli police station limits in the wee hours of Tuesday, leaving behind a 90-minute video and a 40-page-long death note, explaining how the harassment by his wife Nikita Singhania and her family was compelling him to end his life.

The development has sparked outrage and debate across the country about rights of men and how the law views them in cases of divorce and child custody.

Deepika Narayan Bharadwaj, the founder of the Ekam Nyay Foundation, speaking to IANS on Wednesday stated, considering the serious allegations against the judiciary and the sitting judge over alleged demand of bribes, the organisation will approach the Supreme Court.

“We will make a submission in this regard to the Chief Justice of India and Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court,” she stated.

This isn’t just a Bengaluru story but a story of every married man facing false accusations and exorbitant alimony demands in India.

The 90-minute video details what a person is subjected to if he doesn’t pay despite having every evidence to prove innocence.

“Succour is needed for people who are killing themselves due to biased laws,” Deepika stated.

Bikas Kumar, the brother of the deceased Atul, stated, “The family of Atul’s wife was demanding Rs 3 crore for a settlement. The unreasonable demand of Rs 3 crore was acute mental harassment.”

“The wife made demands for money in front of the judge and told Atul that if he was not able to give the money, why doesn’t he end his life? The judge was laughing in the court over this statement. Is this not torture? Is this not mental harassment?”, Bikas Kumar asked.

“My brother has sacrificed his life. He had written everywhere “Justice is Due”. I want justice at any cost. My brother had sent email messages to the President of India, the Supreme Court of India. I expect them to change the law so that men will get some rights,” he demanded.

“Not all men are culprits. Let them also get some legal immunity to present their case and prove that they are right,” Bikas stated.

Commenting on his brother’s suicide, he said, “We didn’t know that he would do something like this. When I spoke to him, he did not give any clue about what he was up to. He also did not give hints to our parents. I spoke to him last Sunday and everything was normal. Later he also spoke to parents and it was fine. That was his last call.”

“On Monday at 2 A.M., he sent a message but I was asleep. Later, on Tuesday I got a call from an unknown number asking me about the death note. When I checked my phone, I saw messages on my mobile,” he recounted.

In his video, Atul Subhash, had stated that he got married in 2019 and his wife allegedly demanded Rs 3 crore alimony after they filed for divorce.

She allegedly didn’t let him even see the face of his child after she filed for divorce. He stated in the video that the Family Court Judge demanded Rs 5 lakh to settle the case.

Atul stated that his father-in-law died of a disease soon after his marriage but his wife got an FIR registered under sections of murder against his family claiming he died of shock because of a demand for dowry.

Atul said in the video that he faced extreme harassment as he had to attend 120 case dates in the last two years.

The Family Court judge passed an order of Rs 40,000 per month maintenance for a 2-year-old child, he stated.

Atul said that when he was married, he used to do household chores, got his wife a job in a reputed MNC, helped his brother-in-law financially, and spent lakhs on the birth of his child.

Atul stressed in the video that, “I refuse to pay and I choose death because I don’t want my money to be used against me by my opponents to torture me and my family. I don’t want my wife and her family to come anywhere near my dead body.” Meanwhile, Marathalli police have registered an FIR against deceased Atul’s wife and three other family members on charges of abetment to suicide under Sections 108, 3 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The complaint in this regard was filed by Atul’s brother Bikas Kumar.

–IANS

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