Raipur (PTI): Union minister Nitin Gadkari has drawn attention to the rising number of road accidents and consequent deaths, and stressed on giving safety the highest priority while constructing pathways in the country.
Addressing the 83rd annual session of the Indian Roads Congress at Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium here on Friday, he said if anyone dies in an accident due to road engineering fault in the future, then he will hold himself guilty for it.
Highlighting the Centre's efforts to prevent road accidents, he urged government engineers to quit their jobs and start a good DPR (detailed project report) making company, assuring them to give work on a priority basis.
The Minister of Road Transport and Highways emphasized on production of bitumen and CNG from stubble in agriculture-dominated Chhattisgarh, arguing the move will cut dependence on fossil fuels and check pollution.
He announced a slew of road projects for Chhattisgarh and said he believes the state will have a road network similar to that of America in the next two years.
"Every year 1.50 lakh deaths due to road accidents are reported which has now increased to 1.68 lakh. Efforts are on to improve the shortcomings in road engineering and automobile engineering but defective DPR has created a major problem," the minister maintained.
He advised government engineers to quit their jobs and start a good DPR-making company.
"We have been making serious efforts to prevent road accidents. Nearly 60 per cent victims of road accidents are aged between 18 and 34 years. I would like to urge you to build roads where no accidents take place (due to defective engineering works)," he said.
Improvement in road engineering will curb accidents and save lives, Gadkari asserted.
"We have made rules in automobile engineering. If anyone dies in an accident due to road engineering in the future, then I will feel that I am guilty for it," he told participants at the event.
Pointing at the gathering of officials and engineers, the minister said no tenders should be issued without carefully examining DPR for projects.
Road safety should be given the highest priority to prevent accident deaths, he added.
Gadkari emphasized the significance of waste-to-energy technologies and urged Chhattisgarh to work on producing CNG and bitumen using paddy straw.
The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, have developed bio-bitumen from paddy straw and it is being used in Meghalaya, he told the gathering.
"It (paddy straw) can be used up to 35 per cent in bitumen. The country's requirement of bitumen is 90 lakh metric tonnes and capacity of refinery is 40-50 lakh metric tonnes. We are importing 50 lakh metric tonnes," Gadkari said.
If Chhattisgarh starts producing bitumen from stubble, it will be a waste-to-wealth move, he said.
Similarly, 400 projects for producing bio-CNG and bio-LNG from paddy straw have started in Punjab and Haryana. If Chhattisgarh will do the same, no petrol and diesel will be required in the state, the Union minister opined.
Gadkari underlined the need to develop robust infrastructure to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India).
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mumbai, Jul 25 (PTI): Police have opposed the bail plea of the Bangladeshi national arrested for allegedly stabbing Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan with a knife and injuring him at his home here in January this year, telling a Mumbai court there was "strong evidence" against the accused.
Citing a Forensic Science Laboratory report, police reiterated before the sessions court their earlier claim knife fragments that got lodged near the actor's spine during the attack as well as a part found at the crime spot have matched with the weapon recovered from the accused, Shariful Islam.
These three pieces were part of the same weapon (knife) used to attack the filmstar, the police said in a written response to the accused's plea submitted in the court on Thursday (July 24).
Khan was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by an intruder inside his 12th floor apartment in upscale Bandra on January 16 during a robbery attempt.
The 54-year-old actor underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital to remove a piece of knife that got lodged near his spine during the attack. He was discharged from the private hospital after five days.
Shariful Islam, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested two days later for allegedly stabbing Khan.
The police, in their response, highlighted that the accused is a Bangladeshi citizen residing illegally in India.
If granted bail, there was a possibility that he may flee India and not appear before the court during the trial. The crime committed by the accused is of a "very serious nature, and strong evidence" is available against him, they argued.
In his bail plea, filed through advocate Vipul Dushing, the accused asserted he was innocent and had no prior criminal record.
Investigation into the case has practically concluded with only the filing of a chargesheet pending, the accused contended while seeking bail.
The alleged attacker has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections related to house trespass, robbery and dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous injury.