File status report of districts on helmet rule: Madras high court

Chennai: Observing that most of the two wheeler riders are not wearing helmets in all the districts except Chennai, the Madras high court has directed the state government to file a report with regard to mplementation of compulsory wearing of helmet rules and the action taken in respect of other districts for non-wearing of helmets.

A division bench comprising Justices M.Sathyanarayanan and N.Seshasayee gave the directive on a Public Interest Litigation filed by K.K.Rajendran.

The bench had on August 28 directed the DGP and DME to furnish the details of number of cases registered for not wearing helmets by riders/pillion riders of two wheelers in each district and fatality of cases reported in the District Head Quarters Hospital due to non-wearing of helmets.

When the case came up for hearing on Thursday, the bench pointing out that it was the duty of the state government to implement the statute, posed several queries to the petitioner. “Have you taken any efforts to educate the citizens to compulsorily wear helmets since your are a public spirited person. Enforcing the statute is another part of it. The government will do it and enforce it. Irrespective of the same, what is your effort to create awareness? It is the duty cast on the state to implement the law. People think as if this court is doing it.

It is there already in the statute. It should be implemented. The people have to co-operate. What is your role and what you have done? We are tired of running the administration. We do not intent in running the administration. We are here only to adjudicate?”

The bench asked the government advocate as to whether the vacancies in the police and transport departments were filled up. “Repeatedly you said shortage of persons and hence we could not implement it.

We got our own doubt , it is not implemented strictly in other districts. In Madurai, most of the two wheeler riders are not wearing helmets. None of them in mofusil areas are wearing helmets. It is a social responsibility, everybody has a role to play. In Chennai city, now 80 percent of the riders are wearing helmets. If you enforce traffic rules strictly, the Law and Order will follow. You should educate the school and college children. These habits should be inculcated at this age.  We request the visual media to play their role in creating awareness”, the bench added.

After the government advocate sought two weeks time to file the report in respect of other districts, the bench asked the government advocate as to whether the amended Rules have been implemented and posted after two weeks, further hearing of the case.