Jaipur, March 10 (IANS): Hindustan Zinc of the Vedanta Group is expanding its welfare project on road safety that uses a mobile van with facilities like a projector, a high-decible sound system and special learning tools to reach out to a large audience, especially in villages.
"High frequency of road accidents in India only proves ignorance and disrespect towards safety. The fact cannot be ignored that more people die in road accidents in India than anywhere else in the world," the company, among the largest producers of zinc and silver, said in a statement.
"Our method of teaching involves audio-video training of 90 minutes, guidelines and education on traffic rules, behavioral training and first aid. The program is interactive and involves the audience through question and answer sessions," the company statement added.
"Road-safety guidelines are also distributed to audience. Special drives are also being launched in association with local police towards implementation of road safety rules."
Towards this end, it has joined hands with Rajasthan Parivahan Nirikshak Sangh, which is a body affiliated to the All India Federation of Motor Vehicles Department Technical Executive Officers Association in Bangalore.
"We are able to reach remote villages, schools and rural people. As the Van has a video screen, we are able to show short films on road safety which is helping in making the people understand the gravity of situation," said Veerendra Singh Rathore, state president of the Sangh.
The state's transport department is also planning similar road safety mobile vans in all seven divisions of Rajasthan, with other states -- especially Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka -- are also keen to emulate it in their respective areas and spread road safety awareness, the company said.
"The project is so far able to touch 100,000 people through some 600 educational programs, which have resulted in decreasing road accidents and injuries. There has been increasing participation of employees of various small-big corporates," the company said.
"In district Rajsamand, success story has been drawn with 40 percent reduction in road accidents."