Govt draws sharp criticism over rising road fatalities

The government on Saturday came in for a sharp criticism from the Congress for not implementing any measures to stop rising road fatalities in the state. All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) media in-charge for Goa, Harshad Sharma said apart from road fatalities, the crime rate has also increased in the state. “In first 16 days of February, 9 people lost their lives in road accidents and this is when the state is celebrating February as road safety month. The BJP government has not implemented any measures to improve the situation and it is a matter of grave concern,” said Sharma, during a press briefing at the Congress House in the city. On the latest fatal accident that occurred on the Mandovi bridge, Sharma said, “Why the government has never bothered to raise the height of the bridge parapets.” As far as the crime rate is concerned, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) general secretary Vijay Bhike said crime cases have increased under the BJP regime. “Rape, molestation, theft and drug cases have gone up and yet Chief Minister Pramod Sawant boasts about safety,” he said. Referring to accidents, he said, “The government is busy in organizing events and making money out of them, while the youth are continuing to lose their lives on the roads.” “The Transport Minister should be sacked for not working in the interest of the public. The traffic signals are not working properly at many places and the government has turned a Nelson’s eye to it,” he lamented.