In a directive to all the two-wheeler riders among its teachers, students and staffers, the Novel International School and College in Chinchwad has made it compulsory for them to wear helmets. Those who violate the directive will have to pay a fine of Rs 500, said college authorities. The directive came after a staffer’s son was killed in a two-wheeler accident on November 2. Ashish Deepak Pauskar (19), a resident of Shubhashree Society in Akurdi, was not wearing a helmet when the accident took place. Pauskar, a first-year engineering student, was riding pillion on a classmate’s two-wheeler when it was hit by a truck near Mhalsakant Chowk in Nigdi Pradhikaran. Pauskar died of a head injury, said police, adding that there were no other injuries on his body. According to police, he could have survived the accident if he had worn a helmet. Amit Gorkhe, founder of the Novel Group of Institutes, said the directive for mandatory use of helmets was issued recently, after the death of a staffer’s son, and in the wake of a report in Pune Newsline, highlighting the death of 175 ‘helmet-less’ bikers in the city this year. “Since ours is a junior college, we don’t expect students to use geared two-wheelers. But those who come on non-geared two-wheelers should also use helmets,” he said. Gorkhe pointed out that most of the college professors were women and many of them, who travelled on two-wheelers, had started wearing helmets. “The directive has been issued to ensure the safety of our students and teachers. Since a head injury can have fatal consequences, it is important that every two-wheeler rider should wear a helmet. That’s the message we have tried to pass on. two-wheeler riders should take note of the death of 175 ‘helmet-less bikers’ in Pune since January,” he said.
