Compensation on road accidents: amendment bill to be tabled in Punjab Assembly soon

Punjab government has increased the compensation amount of injury and death to a passenger in road accidents and thus amended "Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965" for this purpose. The government would introduce Provincial Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2010 in the forthcoming meeting of the Punjab Assembly for new compensation schedule.
The new compensation amount would be applicable on those motors which carry not more than six passengers and the compensation amount would be paid to the driver, permit holder or the owner of the vehicle to the passenger or the legal heirs of the passenger.
The amount of new compensation in case of death or injury during the road accidents decided by the provincial government was as under: loss of death Rs 250,000, loss of arm at above the elbow Rs 65,000, loss of arm below the elbow Rs 50,000, loss of leg at or above the knee Rs 65,000, loss of leg below the knee Rs 60,000, loss of both legs Rs 140,000, permanent loss of hearing Rs 65,000, loss of one eye Rs 75,000, loss of both eyes Rs 140,000, loss of thumb Rs 40,000, loss of all fingers of one foot Rs 50,000, loss of index finger Rs 40,000, loss of great toe Rs 33,000, permanent disfiguration of the face or head Rs 50,000, fracture or dislocation of a bone Rs 40,000, emasculation Rs 50,000, loss of one tooth Rs 12,500, loss of two or more teeth Rs 25,000, any injury which endangers life or which causes the sufferer to be, during the space of twenty days, serve bodily pain, or renders him unable to follow his ordinary pursuits Rs 25,000, an injury not specified above Rs 10,000.
A senior official of the transport department said that Punjab Assembly standing committee on transport has passed the amended bill and it would be presented in the coming meeting session of Punjab Assembly. The new would be implemented when provincial assembly passes the amended bill, sources added. Artificial limb expert and President of Hope Rehabilitation Society Dr Khalid Niazi and other organisation of the social welfare welcomed government's decision to increase the compensation amount in road accidents.
Dr Niazi said the existing compensation schedule was introduced in 1978. He said that after a lapse of 32 years, it was necessary to revise the amount of compensation in case of death and injury to passengers patricianly in the wake of increasing road accidents. He stressed that increase in the compensation amount for disability is also necessary, as the prices of artificial limbs are sky rocketing. He further said federal government is charging more than 40 percent custom duty and taxes on the import of material for artificial limbs and if it gives relief on the items for disabled persons, prices of artificial limbs may come down which would be helpful for the special persons of the country.