The Hindu : New Delhi News : Up in arms against drunken driving

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 05, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Up in arms against drunken driving

Madhur Tankha

NEW DELHI: Noted ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh has now joined activist Prince Singhal in his crusade against drunken driving.

Jagjit Singh was also appointed the official Cause Ambassador of Community Against Drunken Driving (CADD) at a function here on Friday to launch the “CADD National Designated Driver’s Campaign”.

With the increasing number of drunken driving accidents across the country, the campaign intends to promote the concept of driving soberly and being responsible while travelling on the city roads among Delhiites. The campaign has been joined by the city’s leading pubs -- numbering 25 -- to ensure the safety of their guests and customers. The pubs that are a part of this campaign would provide a taxi service to their intoxicated guests and make their contribution in saving lives and making the roads of Delhi safer.

The campaign also seeks to address the real issues of drunken driving, as pointed out by Jagjit Singh who said “a drunk driver must be arrested and the fine should be increased as the existing fine is too meagre.”

Prince Singhal, who has been fighting against drunken driving for the past six years, has also launched the campaign in other cities including Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad to reach out to as many people as possible across the country.

Practical solution

Stating that the CADD National Designated Driver’s Campaign was a practical solution to prevent drunken driving deaths as it involves every concerned citizen, Prince Singhal said: “Through this campaign we also want to send a strong message to the Governmental authorities including the enforcement agency about the seriousness of this menace”.

CADD campaign propagates the need to plan ahead that involves hiring a cab and making a car pool when going out to party with friends. Besides taking turns to be a designated driver among your group of friends, if you are already intoxicated then let the restaurant manager help you with a taxi from a registered taxi stand.

Unique display

The campaign also included a unique display of art on liquor bottles titled “None for the Road” that have been painted on the theme of “Responsible Drinking”. These bottles are artistic impressions of the country’s top contemporary artists like Paresh Maity, Shamshad Husain, Jatin Das, Gopi Gajwani, Akilesh, Manish Pushkale and others to send the strong message on the sheer loss of lives due to the menace of drunken driving.

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