Fines for traffic offences
State Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Ashok Abeysinghe said the Ministry will increase the fines for seven traffic offences, including drunken driving, driving without a licence, reckless driving and driving through level crossings to Rs. 25,000.
The Ministry tried to do the same thing on a previous occasion, but increased the fines only to Rs. 3000. The number of road accidents dropped after the increase in fines.
We thank State Minister Abeysinghe for his good work to improve road safety.
According to statistics, road accidents claim eight - nine lives and injure 25 people every day. Seventy five percent of the dead or injured are those between 15 and 45 years. Road accidents are a huge burden on the families as most victims are breadwinners of the families.
We must create a culture of road safety among the people. The use of mobile phones and alcohol is two factors we need to consider seriously.
D. Weeratunga,
Nugegoda
Morality instead of law
Morality is the foundation of law. Law was developed from morality. Law has not been able to bring justice to all.
There are many talks, comments, analyses, explanations, criticisms and interpretations on law to point out how a country should be ruled. When new laws are made by the Legislature, it is later proved that those new laws cannot bring the expected results and that many injustices are also caused because of those laws.
On many occasions, justice is rejected because of laws. For an example, in a certain Department or institution, employees are entitled to pensions after 20 years of service and an employee meets with a fatal accident and becomes unable to serve and that the employee has only one month to complete 20 years of service.
According to the law, he cannot get his pension because he has not completed 20 years. But according to morality, he deserves his pension because the accident is beyond his control.
What is being looked into by Law Courts is that whether some commission or omission is in agreement with the law. It is known that those who commit offences understand that they commit offences. But if the society is moral as a whole, there is no need for laws.
Martin Dasanayake,
Dompe
Mosquito breeding ground
The drains at the lower end of Frazer Avenue, Dehiwala, have not been cleaned for 8 - 10 months. Residents complain that they are unable to sleep with mosquitoes whose breeding ground has become the drains.
A concerned citizen
Sound pollution by Paan tune vendors
It is gratifying to note that the Police have taken action to control sound pollution by bus drivers, according to the Sunday Observer, March 17.
Another sound menace the public has to endure is blared by ‘Paan Tune’ vendors who sell bread and pastry products in ‘vans’ from dawn to dusk.
They continuously blare tunes at a high pitch which the Police should check to see whether they are within the permissible level of 80 decibels. They have a mechanism to increase the volume while on the move.
Dogs hearing these tunes start barking as if such tunes affect their hearing. Ailing and aged people are suffering in silence.
Over to you IGP/Animal Rights Organisations.
L.L. Silva,
Dehiwala.