Bill for stringent punishment to negligent drivers

Hyderabad, July 13 (UNI) Concerned over increase in road accidents, the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet today gave its nod for a Bill awarding stringent punishment to curb negligent driving.

The Cabinet decided to increase the term of imprisonment from the present two years to five years for negligent drivers of light vehicles and seven years for those driving heavy vehicles besides levying fine of Rs 5,000, official sources said. A Bill would be introduced in the next week's Monsoon Session.

Though the state government wanted to make negligent driving a non-bailable offence, it accepted the Union Government's suggestion to provide relief to ''innocent'' drivers, they said.

According to a survey, 8,888 people were killed in 27,599 road accidents in 1998 as against 4,142 people in 13,842 mishaps in 1988, they said, adding more people died due from road fatalities than due to illness.

The Cabinet also gave its nod for an amendment to the law to ensure traders did not get a claim from court for inter-state Entry Tax collected by the Commercial Taxes Department.

It also decided to provide counter guarantee for implementation of a drinking water scheme in Anantapur District with Rs 166.96 crore assistance from HUDCO and creating an urban revenue mandal in Kadapa District.

UNI