| Ban on use of mobile phones while driving |
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DIMAPUR, SEPT 10 (EMN): Nudged by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, GoI, Nagaland Transport Commissioner T. Meren Paul today reiterated the ban on use of mobile phone while driving, yet stayed shy of issuing clear directives on how the State would undertake the arduous task. Communicating to the public the hazards involved in the use of mobile phones while driving and the necessity of the ban under the Central MotorVehic1es Rules, 1989, the Commissioner informed that the Ministry has requested the Principal Secretaries, Secretaries and Transport Commissioners of all states and Union Territories to gear up the enforcement machinery in the State/UT to implement the provisions of law in true spirit to eliminate the chances of accident due to use of mobile phone while driving motor vehicles. According to the Act under the Central MotorVehic1es Rules, 1989, ‘use of mobile phone while driving motor vehicle’ would be considered nuisance or danger to the public. The Act empowers the Licensing Authority to disqualify a person from holding a driving licence or revoke such licenses for the offence. Further, in the proposed Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, the Government has included a dedicated section for penal provision for this offence which prescribes a penalty of Rs.500 for the first offence and penalty upto Rs. 5000 for the second or subsequent offence. A letter from the Union Ministry to the Principal Secretaries, Secretaries and Transport Commissioners of all states and Union Territories informed that the Committee on the Petitions of Rajya Sabha has recently taken a very serious view of the fact that use of mobile phone in motor vehicles is on the increase and this leads to many accidents. The Committee has strongly recommended that the use of mobile phone while driving motor vehicles should be banned in any form or in any manner, the Ministry stated. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in its letter to the States also insisted on the need educate the public about the safety hazards posed by such an act on the road. The ban on use of mobile phones while driving was issued by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, GoI on 3rd July 2009 and is being enforced in many parts of the country. It remains to be seen how the State machinery tackles the issue in practicality as law enforcers and government officials neither do abide by this certain law, nonchalantly flouted by the general public. Use of mobile phone in any form would include: >> Hand held or hands free mobile or operated with the help of bluetooth or permanently installed and integrated into the wiring of motor vehicles. >> Making or receiving calls, sending messages, playing games, listening to music and taking photos or making videos. >> A stationary vehicle in the traffic jam or a traffic signal is a part of driving and in such conditions also the use of mobile phone cannot be allowed. 
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