Building a Culture of Road Safety in Nagaland

*Wrote this long article, like too long, during my college days, but got lost in some pages of my note book. Didn't want it to go wasted, hence, added some relevant data and uploaded it on my blog. Here we go... 

Introduction

Roads are of immense importance to us. They can help us to reach our required destination and also the cost of loading and unloading goods transported from roadways are cheaper compared to railways, waterways and airways. In fact, road transport gives a connection between all the other means of transport. It determines the progress of the state’s agriculture, mining, industry and commerce. When a state is a plagued by bad roads, it calls for attention as good roads are a sign of development. However, what goes alongside good roads or roads in general is the safety attached to it. Indeed, ‘road safety’ has been an issue which is often ignored by many until one faces the consequence of not adhering to it. 

Therefore, to begin with, let us define, what is ‘road safety’? Road safety is the prevention of road accidents by obeying the road safety rules and regulations. The most significant factor of road safety is the need for skilful and careful driving in order for the drivers, passengers, and pedestrians (a person walking rather than travelling in a vehicle) stay safe. Thus, road safety refers to the safety of people while using the roads. To ensure road safety there are certain set of regulations and guidelines to follow when using the streets and it becomes a prerequisite for all road users to follow them in order to ensure a safe and secured journey. These rules of ‘Road Safety’ have been formulated by the governments of the respective countries to protect everyone who travels on the roads. Some of the instruments through which road safety is ensured are sign boards, traffic signals, dividers on the pedestrian paths and security cameras. 

Why is there a need for ‘Road Safety’ Measures?

World Health Organisation reports, road traffic injuries as one of the leading causes of death for children and young adults aged 5-29. In a worldwide scale, road traffic accidents result in the deaths of approximately 1.19 million people each year and also leave between 20 and 5- million people with non-fatal injuries. More than half of all road traffic deaths occur among vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Apart from the human suffering caused by road traffic injuries, they also lead to heavy economic burden on victims and their families, both through medical treatment costs for the injured and through loss of productivity of those killed or disabled resulting in financial void. The broader picture is, road traffic injuries have a grave impact on national economies, costing countries 3% of their annual Gross Domestic Product. It is to be noted, measures proven to reduce the risk of road traffic injuries and deaths are being constantly addressed and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has set an ambitious target of reducing traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030. 

In India, as per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, there are around 1.5 lakhs deaths on India’s roads every year, of which 1/3 are accounted for by National Highways. Interestingly, though India accounts for about 1% of motor vehicles globally, it records more than 11 % of road traffic deaths. In fact, India accounts for almost 10% of all crash related deaths while accounting for only 1% of the world’s vehicles. This is a pertaining issue which the State has been trying to deal with through various rules and regulations. 

Apart from the loss of lives, road accidents have various other impacts. It leads to loss of productivity of the victims depending on the severity of the physical harm caused due to the accident; it affects the quality of life too, meeting the cost of the legal system and burdening the health sector. From a gender angle, road accidents is a burden on women, it seems about 40% of women reported a change in their working patterns post-accidents, most women in our country depend on their spouses’ earnings, if the spouse becomes a victim of road accident then ultimately the responsibility to look after their livelihood falls on the wife, hence, women are met with more responsibilities and burden. As per the United Nations Report, reduction in road traffic deaths and injuries could result in substantial long-term income gains as fair movements of goods and better logistics will be possible. It has been reported that India loses 3% of its GDP due to road accidents, which shows the impact of such on the economy of the country. 

Various laws and initiatives have been put forward both globally and in India to tackle the issue of road safety. Under global initiatives, India is a signatory to Convention on International Road Traffic of 1949, Geneva Convention, the Brasilia Declaration on Road Safety (2015) which was adopted at the second global high-level conference on road safety held in Brazil, India too is a signatory to this. Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 proclaimed in UN Resolution sets an ambitious target of preventing at least 50% of road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030. International Road Assessment programme (iRAP) which is a registered charity which works in partnership with government and non-government organisation is dedicated to saving lives through safer roads. With regard to road safety measures India, the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 was brought in to improve road safety in India by amending Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The (Amendment) Act also introduced heavy fines for various offences relating with road safety issues. Even the 3-Year Action Agenda of NITI Aayog emphasizes standardizing the reporting of accidents and action map following after. 

Some of the major causes which are often highlighted for road accidents are as follows, 

Over speeding and rash driving: it is estimated, approximately fifty thousand accidents in India is a result of over speeding. 

Road designs: developing better roads is important for road safety but at the same time, faulty road designs which include absence of warning/caution signs, large pothole and unauthorised speed breakers cause road accidents. 

Encroachment of road: Unregulated road congestion due to street hawkers interrupts the normal movements of vehicles. 

Driving license regulations: negligence in the procedures and acquiring the driving license.

Motorization and Urbanisation: are also recorded as one of the main causes for road crash fatalities.

Inefficient public transport: public transport system are often regulated for safety issues but due to the lack of proper public transport services, people ends up opting for private vehicles.

Apart from all the cited causes, some cars are designed with speed in mind, and statistics show that faster vehicles are more prone to accident than the slower one and the severity of accident also tend to be more in case of faster vehicles, higher the speed, greater the risk. Therefore, careful driving is very essential. Additionally, vehicle design and road infrastructure need to be as per the safety standards. Besides these, proper training and capacity building in achieving road safety is the need of the hour.

Addressing Road Safety in Nagaland 

When it comes to road related accidents in Nagaland, one of the dark incidents is the fatality of a college student who was run down by a car; it was a case of rash driving. Many condemned the incident but unfortunately, even after that incident, the cases of rash driving did not stop in the state rather it seems to be erupting. To say the least, it is alarming. 

One of the local newspapers reports, the number of casualties in road accidents has increased in Nagaland. The data which the newspaper had acquired through the First Report on Nagaland Disaster Statistics 2023 published by Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Nagaland reports a total of 201 persons were killed and 1420 injured in 2249 road accident from 2018 to 2022 in Nagaland. In 2018-19, there were 435 road accidents in Nagaland which increased to 894 in 2021-22. The report further revealed the severity of road accident is measured by calculating the number of persons killed per 100 accidents, which was found to be 6.8% for the year 2021-22. Referencing from the Director General of Police, Nagaland office, the report stated, “44 persons were killed and 348 injured in 435 road accidents during 2018-19 in Nagaland. A total of 47 persons were killed and 275 injured in 382 road accidents during 2019-20. During 2020-21, 49 persons were killed and 356 injured in 538 road accidents. During 2021-22, 61 persons were killed and 441 injured in 894 road accidents... These statistics underscore the urgency of implementing effective road safety measures and promoting responsible driving habits to curb the escalating toll of road accidents and protect lives on the roads.” (Source: The Morung Express).  It was further reported the reasons for increase in fatal road accidents in Nagaland are attributed to high speeds, rash driving and drunken driving. 

It has often been cited, the major causes of road accidents in the state are, over speeding and undisciplined driving. Nevertheless, to bring about road safety measures and control the road related accidents, the state along with the concerned department have been unceasingly working on checking the vehicle speed on roads in Nagaland as it is one of the ways to ensure road safety. Steps are being taken on focusing on various risk factors like drunken driving, non-use of helmets in two wheelers and wearing seatbelts while driving. Accident prone areas are also marked and maintenance of proper surveillance is administered. It is also taking measures to check illegal encroachment of lands for the smooth running of the traffic. Besides, some of ways through which road safety can be addressed in Nagaland are through education and awareness about road safety measures, strict regulation and enforcement of law and also the use of latest technology like Radio Frequency speed detection. 

Nonetheless, promoting road safety is a collective approach and the state or the concerned department cannot solely execute all the measures. When it comes to road safety, we should consider it as a ‘common good’ rather than ‘zero sum game’. The people of the state should also adhere to the safety rules in ensuring a productive outcome in preventing road related accidents. At the end of the day, it is a shared responsibility and one should not consider it as a duty of someone to look into road safety measures while ignoring or being indifferent to one’s own responsibility. 

Conclusion

At present, road safety is one of the greatest public health concerns across the globe. It is a huge challenge which countries have to deal with as many people lose their lives a result of accidents on the road. As cited in the preceding paragraphs, there are numerous reasons responsible for road accidents which stand as a challenge in the way of road safety measures. Though road safety is an important contributing factor in a nation’s growth but the measures adopted for its promotion has often been neglected by the people. Hence, making the issue affect all kinds of road users whether it is vehicle drivers or motorcyclists or the pedestrians and also the illegal roadside vendors and people who encroach the road. Driving by road is one of the standard ways of transportation in today’s world but ensuring everyone is safe on the road and keeping people’s lives safe from road accident is more important. Not adhering to road safety measures result in someone injuring oneself in a road accident. Therefore, it is becomes imperative to follow road safety rules and drive safely. 

Beyond 147: A Tale of 2 Worlds

Regularisation of 147(contract) Assistant Professor was not at all a welcome move and the reaction and response was an obvious one. More than superseding the merit based selection; it was infringement of the ‘Right to Equal Opportunity’, that opened doors for debates and discussions. At the end, the Order was revoked. No matter whoever wants to take the credit for the revocation, the saying, ‘People United Shall Always Be Victorious!’ holds true. 

But that's not what I want to talk about. 

The thing is, in Delhi, those colleges which come under the ambit of University of Delhi, whether private or government follows the UGC norms when it comes to salary and emoluments. However, in Nagaland, forget about the salary difference between government and private colleges, even among the private colleges, there is no standardization. Although the tuition fees of the private colleges are high as compared to government colleges, but salaries of the teachers are low. 

Government institutions typically receive substantial and consistent funding from the government (either central or state). This stable financial backing allows them to adhere to standardized pay scales and provide better compensation packages. While on the other hand, the financial health of private colleges and universities can vary significantly. Their revenue often depends on students’ fees, donations, and endowments. In some cases, they may have budget constraints that limit their ability to offer salaries comparable to government institutions. This is the reason why, although some private colleges may have movie set level college infrastructure but the course instructors out there are earning way lesser than their counterparts.  In a college, the work is divided into two categories, administrative works and teaching works, some college to control their finances, assign teachers to handle the administrative works too but the salary remains the same. 

Each year, thousands of aspirants sit for the NPSC CESE- Combined Education Service Examination, the gateway to acquire the position of Assistant Professorship. Once inducted, they are officiated as First Class Gazette officer, with lucrative salaries and perks. On the other hand, there is another set of Assistant Professors, the ones who teach in private colleges of Nagaland. They too have cleared the NET and some have PhD degree but due to various reasons have landed in private college.  It won’t be easy to bring about rationalization in the salary but as long as the teacher is motivated not by, or say, only by salary then there is a ray of bliss and contentment in her life. 

Aging Gracefully? Let's Briefly Talk About Menopause

 Decades ago, talking about menstruation in front of men was considered a taboo. But the growing awareness on menstrual health and hygiene has made it easy to break the uncomfortable barriers, paving ways for healthy conversations to take place regarding menstruation. Eventually, some of the men join hands in various menstrual health initiatives. One of such is, Arunachalam Muruganantham also known as, ‘The Pad Man of India’. 

Although, over the years, there has been numerous awareness campaign promoting menstrual healthcare, but there is something else we have to know about. Menopause! Topics, talks and discussions when it comes to menopause have been negligible. 

Menopause is the stage of a woman’s life when her menstrual periods stop permanently, and she can no longer get pregnant. While men can theoretically produce sperm and remain fertile throughout their lives (PS.Sperm quantity and quality can decline with age, potentially impacting fertility), women’s fertility declines significantly after their late 30s and 40s, eventually leading to menopause and cessation in egg production. 

Menopause is neither a disease nor a disorder. It is a normal part of aging for women. The times leading up to menopause is called the menopausal transition or perimenopause. The average age of menopause is around 51 years old. Perimenopause usually starts in the mid 40s, with symptoms like irregular periods and hot flashes and mood swings brought about by hormonal changes. Menopause occurring before age 40 is considered premature, while menopause between ages 40 and 45 is considered early and menopause that occurs after 55 is considered late onset menopause.  

Some of the celebrities have shared about their experiences with menopause, which helps to normalize the topic and break down taboos surrounding women’s health. World Menopause Day is celebrated annually on October 18th. This day aims to raise awareness about menopause and the support options available for improving health and well-being. 

Holistic care about women’s health goes beyond menstruation and pregnancy. Hence, it will be good if even in our small state, along with menstrual health, menopausal health is given a space to be talked about.  

Naga Kitchen Garden Diaries: Organic Tomatoes

 

Most of us may have heard of ‘La Tomatina’ also known as, The Tomato Festival, celebrated in Spain. It started off in the year 1945, and is known as the biggest food fight in the world. The origin of this festival is crazy, mainly based on speculations. However, the largest producer of tomatoes in this world is China, followed by India, in case; it comes as a multiple choice question in one of the competitive exams. 

However, that is not the thing though. Just look at the pictures of freshly plucked red tomatoes from our kitchen garden, isn’t it amazing? They not only look good but they are tasty too. I just want to thank the Creator for blessing my mom with a green thumb. Last year, the price of tomato rocketed all time high to 90INR per kilo. That is when, my mom decided to grow our own tomatoes and the rest is tomato hi tomato. 

Anyway, tomato is a fruit that are considered vegetables by nutritionists. 

What are the health benefits of tomatoes?

• Help improve Heart Health
• May prevent Constipation
• Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk
• Support Brain Health 
• Improves Vision 

Who should be cautious with tomatoes?

People with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Acid reflux/GERD, Kidney stones and obviously, those have tomato allergy. 

In conclusion, I just want to say, I am learning, how to make tomato ketchup. Happy!

Love, Romance, and Pursuit of Self

Let’s discuss about, ‘The Idea of Love and Romance’. We must have come across this quote, ‘Romantic comedies are to women what porn is to men’. No matter how amusing it may sound, there is an element of truth in it; just that generalization should not be made. The love and romance in reel life is, the result of someone’s imagination and it goes through a rigorous process of editing whether in books or in movies to fit the likeness of the readers and audience. Love and romance in real life is much more than that, planning a romantic get together can be inspired by books and movies but one’s love is more organic and has higher personal feelings attached to it. Likewise, romance, a feeling of emotional attraction expressed through courtship/dating behaviours like thoughtful actions, gestures of affection, and through words or actions, often evolves through experiences or inspirations. But, maintaining the some level of love and keeping the same spark for years need effort, dedication, loyalty and time. In books and in movies, an issue is resolved by the end of the movie or book and it heads to happily forever but in real, the picture is different and sometimes, it never gets resolved leading to a fresh new chapter or scene in one’s life. 

The journey is filled with ups and downs made harder by choices, and in worst case, better options. Being practical is one thing and knowing the real meaning of sacrifice is another but in all these, knowing one’s self-worth and finding one’s happiness is supreme. How far can you go to keep your love and romance alive? We need not go too far, staying in one place and making wise decisions can save us from becoming the slaves of our disillusion. At the end of the day, we may not end up with the love of our life, and that’s okay but we should never fail to discover our own personal passion…because that’s the thing that keeps us alive.