RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Oct 26: After the driver and conductor of a bus were charred to death while sleeping inside the bus in a drunken state on Diwali night, officials of the Lower Bazar police station in Ranchi have started alerting the bus owners to take care to avoid repetition of such incidents in the future.
Apart from this, the police have started creating a general awareness among bus staff about the consumption of liquor. Bus owners’ association is also thinking in that direction.
When contacted for his comment on the precautionary measures taken after the incident of fire at Birsa Munda Bus Terminal (locally known as Khadgarha bus stand) at Kanta Toli, officer-in-charge of the Lower Bazar police station Sanjay Kumar said, “Over drinking is bad. So, I have started creating awareness and have also asked our officials to create awareness.”
Owner of Moonlight bus, Mohammed Asfaque welcomed the move of police saying apart from police officials it is the duty of the media also to create awareness about sensible drinking.
“Media ko bhi daroo ke khilaf jagrookta paida karna chahiye (Media should also raise awareness against alcohol),” Asfaque said. Probed further regarding take from his part, he parried reply saying he was busy in some other important work.
General Secretary of Jharkhand Bus Owners Kishore Mantri said his organisation supported the move of police saying he will also discuss the issue in his organisation.
“Drunken driving has totally stopped but it is difficult to stop someone after duty hour when the government has allowed its sale. However, we will soon discuss the issue in the organisation. We are waiting for a proper probe to determine whether drinking was responsible for the Diwali night incident or something else,” Mantri said.
Former president of Jharkhand Bus Owner Association Krishna Mohan Singh echoed Mantri saying, “After the government provided exorbitant fine on drunken driving and made arrangement for surprise check at different place on route, cases of drunken bus driving has drastically reduced as bus owners, who are already at loss due to rising price of diesel, toll tax, are not ready to put their earning at risk. However, drinking after duty hours is still a challenge.”
A senior citizen said unless the excise and prohibition department takes proper steps it is difficult to create awareness of sensible drinking.
“Though the name of the department is ‘excise and prohibition’ it hardly works for prohibition. If two bus staff members are charred while sleeping drunk inside the bus, officials of excise and prohibition department be held responsible for the same as if officials had chalked out some programme for prohibition such incident would have not taken place as bus is neither Bar nor home,” the citizen said.
On this a bus driver said: “Bus is everything for bus drivers. They sleep inside the bus for the security of buses, which is always at risk due to poor policing and lack of proper arrangement at bus terminals in Jharkhand. It is true that sensible drinking is required to be promoted but those who become drivers or conductors are not properly educated and it is difficult to make them understand.”
