Drinking has drowned more men than the sea. Now that the Supreme Court has banned liquor shops on highways, one hopes that drunken driving and the resultant road accidents on motorways will decline. The top court should now focus its attention on removing liquor shops near schools and places of worship. Though the liquor cannot be banished in one go, steps should be taken to make it gradually vanish (“Reataurants, bars go dry as highway liquor ban kicks in”, April 2).
K. Pradeep,
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Chennai
It is hoped that restricted or non-availability of alcohol will reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with driving under the influence of alcohol. However, the restriction on availability of alcohol on highways in itself will not lead to safer conditions on roads. Alcohol, though an important factor, is not the only reason why Indian roads are considered among the worst in the world. Road accidents constitute more than 40% of all unnatural accidental deaths in India, which in absolute terms comes to be nearly two lakh per year. Most victims are young people, causing a great burden not only to their families but also to society and the nation. Among those who survive, a large number of them lead a miserable life due to multiple physical and neurological handicaps.
If our courts and the governments are serious about the menace of road traffic accidents, roads need to be safer, the driving habits of people have to be improved, and the availability and accessibility of medical care need to increase in number. No doubt, restriction of alcohol may improve the statistics, but only marginally. India is also a country which still does not have a national alcohol policy. By just banning the sale of alcohol in certain regions, States or on some roads will not yield results. India needs a comprehensive work plan related to alcohol to reduce its menace in the current era of an increasing use of alcohol.
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Prof. Sudhir K. Khandelwal,
New Delhi