With rising road mishaps claiming more and more lives, doubts are being raised over the effectiveness of a proposal to give compounding powers to police officials for motor vehicle (MV) offences in the State.
In fact, there is a move to bestow MV power on the ASIs of police in the rural areas as there is a marked rise in accidents in the rural zones also.
According to a proposal now being processed by the Government, these police officials would be delegated MV Power across the State.
Presently, such authority is vested in policemen above the ASI level serving in urban police districts of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack apart from Rourkela, Sambalpur, Brahmapur, and Baleswar.
Even after the urban area police officials have been given MV power, official sources admit that 43 per cent of accidents in the State occur in the urban zones.
Out of these accidents, in 44 per cent cases, two-wheelers are found responsible for causing the accidents followed by 20 per cent caused by small passenger-carrying vehicles, 23 per cent by trucks and 5 per cent by buses. In 96 per cent of the cases, drivers are found at fault for the mishaps.
And there is hardly any improvement in the situation as accidents are on the rise above 5 per cent per annum. The transport authorities have not done any detailed analysis on the benefit of the empowering of police personnel with MV power in urban areas.
Peoples’ representatives feel that without any analysis, giving powers to police for the entire State would not have any effect.
According to officials, 57 per cent of accidents are occurring in rural areas, where police have no MV power. So, there is a move to give compounding the MV offences powers to police stations which have jurisdiction over National and State Highways,
Many peoples’ representatives are worried over such a decision as it may lead to more harassment of the public by police personnel.
Transport Department officials say the State Governments like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and a few others have delegated powers under Sections 177, 179 and 183 of the Motor Vehicle Act to police officers across these States.
And similar powers are needed to be handed over to police in Odisha.
Before taking any decisions in this regard, a detailed survey is needed, said a senior MLA, who urged the Minister Commerce & Transport to take a review on the funds spent on road safety in the State.
While huge funds are provided to various authorities, there is hardly any detailed review on the utilisation of funds while accidents continue unabated, pointed out the lawmaker.