PANAJI: The Banastari bridge accident that claimed the lives of three, reverberated in the Goa Legislative assembly on Monday with Opposition leader Yuri Alemao raising the issue during ‘Zero Hour’ stating "the law-and-order situation has collapsed in the state.”
Denying the allegation, chief minister Pramod Sawant said, "Last night’s accident, can’t be directly called the law-and-order failure."
“We do not allow drunken driving anywhere in the state. Somebody may get drunk at a picnic or a party and drive rashly. But we also can’t stop every vehicle to check. If we do that people will complain about it,” said Sawant with Alemao demanding a stringent action.
The Opposition leader blamed the enforcement agencies for the rise in the road accident. It is the innocent families that get devastated, he said.
The CM however said people of Goa as well as tourists must follow the rules of the land while driving/riding. They should keep in mind that not just their lives, but that of others too are equally precious.
“People should refrain from drunken driving. Wherever possible, we have been implementing rules, and will do it in future too,” said Sawant.
Besides three fatalities, six people were injured in last night's accident.
Police have arrested Shripad Sawardekar, 48, in connection with the accident alleging he was under the influence of alcohol when he drove a Mercedes car in the wrong lane on the Banastari bridge, and knocked down motorists.
