This refers to the article “Traffic nightmare” (THT, July 6, Page 8). Road safety is a concern for all irrespective of gender. It is a matter of fact that lack of etiquette on the road is very dangerous for the lives of citizens. It seems as if no one is interested in striking at the root of the traffic problems: poor driver education.

The road users should avoid driving recklessly. If the authorities are interested in proper traffic management, the road traffic offices need to be modernized and upgraded.

Many do not follow the traffic rules and the traffic police are unable to handle them. Bikers are often a headache and we need to focus more on such offenders. Roads are in a mess today not because of the bad quality of work, but bad planning. Lane sizes, pedestrian crossings, traffic signals or left-turns are poorly designed.

All of this reckless act can be overcome by taking some steps such as the use Bluetooth phone devices when receiving or making a call while driving. Lack of knowledge about the correct use of high-beam headlamps creates problem at night.

People get a license with little knowledge about honking and lighting norms. There’s no concept of lane-driving. All they understand is that the road is their race track, and they need to be the first one even if that means overtaking a guy who just gave the indicator to take a turn.

At traffic signals, vehicles taking a right-turn tend to stop in the middle of the lane, thus blocking the traffic.

Vinod C. Dixit, Ahmedabad

Assistance

This is apropos of the news story “PM announces relief for Saptari flood victims” (THT, July 8, Page 6).  It is good to provide relief for the victims on the spot and immediately. There is already a delay in providing the necessary relief materials to the victims of Saptari floods.

Besides, distribution of relief assistance must have come with a concrete plan to prevent the same natural calamities which occur every year. There is an old saying “prevention is better than cure”. Saptari flood is one of the cases that frequently occur in different parts of the country during the rainy season. Furthermore, I do not see any concrete preparedness from the government side for minimizing the losses of human life and property resulting from floods, landslides and earthquakes.

If the government is really serious, sensitive and accountable to the people, it will certainly help minimise the level of destruction caused by the natural disasters. Moreover, government’s preparedness is so lethargic that it does not reach the affected areas and families when they need help urgently.

A long term plan is needed to tackle such recurring disasters. Is there any permanent body that is solely responsible for minimizing the natural disaster and rehabilitating the affected families? Mere distribution of short term relief assistance will not help the victims to recover from disasters.

Magar Bharat Khotange, Kathmandu