Kathmandu, March 15: Lawmaker Sudan Kirati of the CPN (Maoist Centre) has demanded that the government formulate a long-term strategy for minimizing vehicular accidents.

Speaking during the Urgent Time in the meeting of the House of Representatives today, he urged the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport to seriously carry out a study and work by making a calendar for reducing road accidents.

Kirati pointed out the need to increase public awareness, as according to him, the main reason for such accidents is also the lack of public awareness on road safety and bad condition of roads.

He also drew the attention of the government to ensure that there is no lack in providing health treatment to the people injured in a jeep accident in Udayapur on Thursday. Lawmaker Kirati also condoled the eight people who were killed in the mishap and expressed deep sympathies to their families.

Eight people were killed and nine seriously injured when the jeep they were traveling in met an accident at Chengre, Mainamaini of Belaka-7 in the Udayapur district. The jeep was en route to Bhojpur from Dharan.

CPN (UML) lawmaker Amar Bahadur Rayamajhi also paid tributes to those killed in the jeep accident and called on the government to make arrangements for the speedy treatment of the injured ones. He also drew the attention of the bodies concerned to urgently improve the road condition so as to minimize accidents. (RSS)