Wary of H1N1, cops won’t sniff out drunks

The H1N1 scare has hit city traffic cops. Wary of contracting the virus, traffic policemen, who physically sniff out drunk motorists, are now restricting themselves to  using breathalysers — and from a safe distance.

At least 80 drunken driving cases are registered daily by the traffic department. Though the procedure is to check suspected drunk motorists using the breathalyser, because of a shortage of devices  —  only 70 breathalysers are there in the city — and heavy vehicular movement, traffic cops often do a preliminary physical check of motorists.

“Now, we only use the breathalyser,” admitted a sub-inspector, posted at the Matunga police chowkie.

Sensing anxiety within the ranks, the traffic department even organised an awareness campaign to sensitise their personnel about the dreaded disease. “Some of the traffic policemen also sport masks as a precaution. For the last fortnight, we have been very wary of sniffing motorists,” said a traffic constable, posted at Pydhonie, one of the spots where several drunk drivers are netted every week.