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Jammu: Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Regional Office, Jammu & Kashmir today inaugurated a 3 day special International Cartoon Exhibition on Road Safety with 250 cartoons from 39 countries under aegis of eminent International cartoonist Sh. Chander Shekar( popularly locally known as Bunty cartoonist) during the occasion of observance of NationalRoad Safety Month in India with a theme of safe yourself and save your family from 29th to 31st January, 2021 at Kala Kendra Jammu. The international event began with presentation of bouquet to the hon’ble Chief Guest of the program, Sh.T. Namgyal ADGP (Traffic), J&K which was followed by lighting of ceremonial lamp by the Chief Guest, Guest of Honour Shri Suman Gupta, internationally acclaimed painter, special Guest of honour SSP Traffic, Shri Shiv Kumar and RTO JammuShDhananter Singh.
While delivering welcome addressing the gathering ShN.K.Shil, Regional Passport Officer and Regional Director ICCR, MEA, Govt of India, J&K and Ladakh elaborated that figures have shown that disobedience of traffic rules and discipline have been on rise across the UT of J&K and directly resulted into traffic fatalities. The UT has witnessed high level of road rage and accident cases around 478 in the period of 2019-20. Road accident continues tobe a leading cause of death.in every day 04 people are dying in J&K due to road accident and many mor getting injured. Ironically most of them are youth in the age group 16-29. It’s a huge trauma, loss and economic hardship to the family, society and nation that face as aunwanted and unacceptable consequences caused to them. So, with an objective to emphasize on the importance of necessary road safety behaviour and measures while driving, the Regional Office ICCR Jammu has decided to organizesafe drive awareness campaign through International Cartoon Exhibition on Road Safety We all use road as traveller, motorist, pedestrians, cyclist, motor cyclists, cart riders etc. We must understand importance of road safety. Sh. Shil, alsotold that with the help of this programme, it also intends to urge the citizen to follow road safety rules and regulation and appeal the car and auto drivers to drive safely by following simple driving etiquettes and traffic rules more sincerely. In future, ICCR will plan to distribute informative handout on essential route’s norms by emphasizing the danger and risk involved in traffic safety violations and the preventive measures to avoid the same. Our is a mixed and multimodal traffic system and at times very chaotic. More so, road building engineering and road safety education and enforcement of traffic law and inter departmental coordination etc are known to be lacking. So, maintaining a smooth traffic is a huge challenge for a traffic police.
Hence, in order to pass on the message to the other fellow drivers, we would like to request the car owners to put a bumper sticker with a traffic safety message “I pledge to drive safely” clearly displayed behind their respective vehicles.
Speaking on the occasion he kept dwellingupon on the issue in detailed manner that ICCR believe in valuing human life not only through this programme but ensuring safety habits among the people. Society can progress only when we commute on the road safe and impart safety rules part of our culture, grooming and human growth. The responsibility of road safety lies with citizens. Safe driving etiquettes and practices should be embedded in the minds of the people to ensure their own safety and of others. It goes beyond saying that traffic safety is impossible without the active voluntary cooperation and support of the citizens themselves. ICCR believes that public awareness would motivate drivers to commute safely. Traffic Police and law enforcer cannot do this job alone and traffic can run smoothly if road users religiously observetraffic regulations and enforce traffic law stringently. Since, the menace is a multisectoral, we implore common public, all stake holders and all allied agencies like Motor Vehicle, transport and traffic planning, management and enforcing etc, Public Work Department/CPWD/BRO/GREF/ NHAI and Health Department and car Insurance company etc come together and work together to make our road better and safer for us to use. While delivering speech on the occasion, the Chief Guest Sh. Namgyal ADGP (Traffic), J&K. Stressed on the significance of observing traffic rules morestrictly by al road users and reiterated that this Initiative by ICCR will not only help in creating awareness on this vital issue but also facilitate Jammu and Kashmir to improve lips and bounds by commuting safely and will go a long way in informing the people to adhere the much required road safety norms.
Today’s outstandingexhibition of 250 cartoons byworld famous a Group of 150 Artists from 39 countriescaptivated everyone in the audience with their powerfulmessage on road safety through the powerful pictorial work of cartoon paintings. Another striking feature of the programme was the versatile anchoring done by presenter Ms Aman. Other distinguished dignitaries present were SSP Traffic, Jammu and RTO Jammu apart from many artists from various disciplines, youth and school children. The programme ended with a vote of thanks by Shri N.K. Shil, RPO and RD, ICCR, Jammu.
