Police have no record of rules and norms regarding use of tube and nozzle being used in these breathalyzers.

CHANDIGARH: Next time stopped by Gurugram police for a breath test to check for liquor consumption , you may catch some diseases, as the police use same tube or nozzle of breathalyzers on different persons. The information in this regard has surfaced after a Gurugram resident sought details under the RTI Act. The district police issued around 6,000 challans for drunken driving in the past one year.

Responding to the RTI application filed by Hemant Kumar, a resident of New Colony, Gurugram, the state public information officer (SPIO)-cum-assistant commissioner of police (ACP), police headquarters, Gurgaon informed that a total of 13 alco-sensor were available in the record of the district police and all were being used.

These instruments, manufactured by Ganm India Impex and Tayaltech, were inducted in the district police force in July 2015 and March 2017. It has also been claimed by the police that the traffic cops were trained to use these alco-sensor machines and as many as 6,207 persons have been challaned from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018, for drunken driving.

Police, however, has no record of rules and norms regarding usage of tube and nozzle being used in these breathalyzers.

On specific query asked by the RTI applicant as to "if Gurugram police uses new tube for each test performed on breathalyzer," the district police stated "no". What's more, no new tube has been purchased by the police for these breathalyzers ever.

Noted pulmonologist Dr S K Jindal, former head of the pulmonary department at PGIMER in Chandigarh, said using same mouthpiece to check liquor consumption was not only unhygienic but also transmitted several diseases from dental-related common infections to transmission of several life threatening diseases including TB and others.

Talking to TOI, the RTI applicant Kumar said he had sought the information after observing that in Gurugram, the police do not bother about the health of residents and were using the same mouthpiece to test everybody to check the consumption of alcohol during driving. "My intention to get the RTI information was to make people aware about such unhealthy practice so that they can object to it," he added.

