Helping others isn’t an offense any more
More people die in road accidents than in wars. Highways are the death beds. And India is known for its killer roads. Tragedy is, one need not be in a vehicle or drive one to be an accident victim. As per the data available, on an average 56 pedestrians die every year on or by the roads. This number has increased manifold from 2014 to 2017, by a good 66 per cent. Number of vehicle commuters who died on the roads are even higher than this. More than a lakh and half people died on the roads in 2016 in about 5 lakh accidents.
The main reason for post-accident deaths is not the nature of the injury or the breaking of traffic rules, but the delay or non-availability of medical care for the injured persons. Since emergency care is almost unavailable, most injured die before they are taken to the hospital or even before treatment commences. Though some people would like to help the injured, they feel discouraged because they would be forced to appear in court to give testimony of the accident or the aftermath. The long drawn legal process where they’d be made party just because they played the good Samaritan would be of most harrowing experience in today’s world. In a way, deaths are increasing in today’s world owing to the defeat of humanity.
Karnataka govt has initiated a very significant step in this direction. President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to a bill that would ensure legal protection to the good Samaritans in the state who help accidents victims with emergency medical care within the 'golden hour'. Named the Karnataka Good Samaritan and Medical Professional (Protection and Regulation during Emergency Situations) Bill, 2016 this would also keep those who come to assist the injured from being involved in a legal tangle or be expected to repeatedly visit the police stations over their good act. This would help people come forward to help people who may be lying injured in need of immediate help. Because to watch a person die on the road is the most painful experience for anybody who would like to help.
To blame people of being inhuman is not the complete truth. People hesitate from helping because they fear they’d be caught in an endless legal battle of having to appear in court or give their statement at the hospital and police station (repeatedly) over a medico-legal case involving road accidents. The others who never initiate to help the injured would be busy recording the whole thing on their mobiles and releasing it on social media to get more views and traffic to their video. The good Samaritan suffers at the end. There are cases of people taking the injured to a few particular hospitals of their preference and then fleece the injured of their money. They work hand in glove with private hospitals to ensure the accident survivor is not taken to a government hospital but to a private one to aid business to the agencies. One should not be surprised to see police sharing this network nexus with fleecing parties.
The new bill supports genuine souls who would want to get the injured to hospital and stay free from legal tangles. Earlier, those who rushed the injured to the hospital would have to wait till the police arrived on the scene to record their statement. They had to give their phone number and address. Now this bill would enable the helper to leave at his convenience, liberating him from the compulsions of having reveal his address or wait till the police arrive. More than anything else, the state government would help the good Samaritan with some financial benefits for his humane act. If he/she is required to appear in the court, their costs would be covered for that time. This will, most certainly, bring down the number of deaths that happen due to non-availability of medical help during the golden hour. And it is indeed a proud moment for the state since Karnataka would be taking the lead in this. Ours is the first state to introduce the bill among all other states in the country.
Like in most cases, Karnataka has taken a step towards saving lives by way of ensuring law aids this, and does not block the possibility of saving lives. Way to go!
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India destroys air defence system in Lahore; foils Pakistan's attempts to target 15 Indian cities
New Delhi, May 8 (PTI): India on Thursday said it foiled Pakistan military's attempts to target military installations in 15 cities in the northern and western parts of the country using missiles and drones as tensions between the two neighbours mounted amid fears of a wider conflict.
Sources in the defence and security establishment said the S-400 missile defence systems, surface-to-air missiles and the integrated counter unmanned aircraft system were used in thwarting the Pakistani attempts.
In its response this morning, India launched kamikaze drones and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore.
The defence ministry said the Pakistani military attempted last night to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.
The Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan and "neutralised" an air defence system in Lahore, it said.
The Pakistani attempt came after Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.
"On the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in northern and western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles," the ministry said.
"These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) grid and air defence systems," it said in a statement.
"The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," it added.
It said "Indian armed forces this morning targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan."
"Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," the ministry said.
As tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said no limit will become an obstacle to protect India's sovereignty and the nation is fully prepared for such responses.
He said India has always played the role of a responsible nation exercising great restraint and it believes in resolving issues through dialogue.
"However, if anyone tries to take advantage of this restraint, they will face quality action," he said, assuring the nation that no limit will become an obstacle to protect India's sovereignty.
"We are fully prepared for such responsible responses in the future as well," he said.
The defence ministry said India's anti-terror response on early Wednesday was "focused, measured and non-escalatory" and that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted.
"It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response," the ministry said.
It said Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing," the ministry said.
Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring mortar and artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt, it said.
"Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military," the ministry said.
In retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces carried out the missile strikes on the terror targets including Bahawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Wednesday that India decided to carry out the "proportionate" strikes to bring the perpetrators and planners of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack to justice as there was "no demonstrable step" from Pakistan to act against terrorist infrastructure on territories under its control.
