While a section of society is expressing displeasure over the hefty fines for traffic violations, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said that even he has been fined for speeding on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Mumbai. “A car registered in my name too received a fine for speeding on the sea link,” he said.
‘State will implement law’
Mr. Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, said that the purpose of the Act isn’t to collect fines. He said, “If you won’t break the law, you won’t be fined. The old penalties were 30 years old. People were neither afraid of it nor did they have respect for the law. The law has been enacted to save people’s lives. The Chief Minister has assured me that the law will be implemented across the State.” Mr. Gadkari said the new Act will help prevent accident deaths, especially in the 18-35 age group.
‘Fund crunch allegations baseless’
The Union Minister also clarified that the reports that his department is running out of funds are absolutely baseless and the officer who leaked this wrong information has been suspended. He said, “The Prime Minister and his office have given me total support. I have been told by the Finance Minister to give more contracts and increase the work orders as this is the necessity of the Indian economy today.” He said he will try to award works worth ₹5 lakh crore by the end of March next year.
‘No alternative to tree cutting’
Emphasising on the need to protect the environment, Mr. Gadkari said that trees should be cut only when the development of a project gets stuck. He also said that a person should be made to plant 10 trees for every tree cut by him or her. On the Aarey issue, he said, “The government has given priority to tree plantation. Maharashtra has been allocated around ₹12,000 crore to ₹13,000 crore from a fund. The green cover has increased in the State. The talk of tree felling is being made because there is no alternative. The capital cost of a project is important and by opposing a project, don’t make Mumbaikars pay for it.”
‘New chapter in J&K’
Earlier, Mr. Gadkari said that the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of Jammu & Kashmir had opened a new chapter of development in the region and will put an end to terrorism. He said that hunger, poverty and unemployment in the region were because of Article 370; even reservation could not be implemented due to the law. “The development issues of Leh and Ladakh have also been solved,” he said.
‘Triple talaq: justice for Muslim women’
Terming the banning of triple talaq a big achievement, Mr. Gadkari said that the law has delivered justice to Muslim women on humanitarian grounds. Even opposition parties supported the Bill and the Parliament discussed it thoroughly. He said, “Forget triple talaq, there used to be even talaq on WhatsApp. Triple talaq is now a crime and it has been decided to award imprisonment and impose fine for committing it.”
Published - September 10, 2019 01:42 am IST
