Dear Editor,
Recently, there have been surprise Police checkings for two wheelers in Likabali Police station. This is a good step given the rising statistics of vehicle thefts and the rise in the number of accidents. Therefore, people should be cooperative.
However, Police personnel may show some leniency to local people who are unable to produce some documents at the particular moment. They should be allowed sometime to produce the necessary documents instead of imposing the challan.
Also, it is seen that commercial vehicles from Assam plying inside Likabali are not being checked on regular basis. Those vehicles need to be checked on priority basis because, many of those doesn’t follow legal norms. Also, there is an issue of Inner Line Permit to add here.
In addition, police should keep a chart of various traffic offences and the respective amount of the fines. It would ensure accountability. Also, if possible cash payment of fine should be discouraged and a provision of depositing the fine in the magistarial court should be given priority.
It would ensure the transparency in the usage of the collected amount.
Lastly and most importantly, the Lower Siang District Administration, particularly the DTO should conduct awareness programs on various traffic rules, traffic offences and the fines and other ‘DOs and Donts’. Also, people should be made aware of the their ‘rights’ as per the Motor Vehicle Act.
Likabali is the District HQ and the number of vehicle and users are bound to increase in the long run. Just conducting surprise checking and imposing fine may not work for long. It may create some deterrent but it cannot be the solution.
Therefore, effort should be toward creating a force of empowered and enlightened vehicle users, through a massive awareness campaign by the District Administration.
Yours,
Nyatum Doke
Likabali