Liquor giant gives driving tips
By Rupesh Samant
Panaji
30 January 2004
Drinking and safe driving may not go well together but a
liquor giant and education on safe driving do.
Following their successful `wheel watch' campaign in Goa,
world's leading premium drinks company, Diageo Plc's Indian
wing UDV intends to take on Delhi roads. The message is clear
`happy driving without drinking' or `Want to drink and drive?
Try water.'
As a part of UDV's social responsibility programme it will
initiate wheel watch programme in Delhi besides Hyderabad
and Uttaranchal in the months to come. ``We have not fixed
the date but plans are being chalked out,'' stated Mr Amar
Raj Singh, managing director, UDV India.
Under this programme, students from different schools are
involved in educating people about hazards of mixing drinking
and driving. Spread over two months, this programme was held
in Goa in association with Institute of Road Traffic Education
(IRTE) and corporation of city of Panaji.
The programmes were held in different schools besides recruiting
students as traffic wardens. During the year end, all those
who were found driving vehicle intoxicated condition in the
night time were warned.
Ironical, though, that a liquor giant spear heads the drive
against drinking and driving, the UDV India chief feels his
company is propogating the responsible drinking. ``We are
the first one to set world wide code for responsible drinking,''
he said.
Mr Rohit Baluja, the IRTE chief, feels that 40 per cent of
road accidents are caused by intoxicated road users either
due to alcohol, drugs or medicines. ``Many cases do not figure
in police station thereby reducing the number to just 1 per
cent on record,'' he added.
Under its social responsibility programme, the UDV India also
assists NGO in Second Chance School for those students who
have missed their first chance in getting formal education.
The company also supports two Bar Tending Scholls in Mumbai
and Delhi by instituting scholarships to the needy and meritorious
students.
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