The Dehradun Superintendent of Police (Traffic), Pradeep Rai, talking to The Pioneer, admitted that there had been a lapse of duty by Dehradun’s traffic cops not taking action against government officers flaunting their designations and Government names on private vehicles despite a strict ban and Supreme Court order against this.
“I admit that this has been a slip and nothing concrete has been done so far in issuing challans to officers who violate this law. There is no justifiable reason that I can give for this but now we shall collaborate with Regional Transport Office and do the needful,” said Rai.
Asked why no drive had been executed till now by ear- marking sites like the Secretariat parking, Rai was without an answer.
It is unsettling that not even the much-touted City Patrol Units that can be seen plying Doon’s roads have also been turning a blind eye to babus misusing their office and violating the Motor Vehicle Act by depicting their posts/ designation and Government of India or State Government on number plates of their vehicles. That the reason for failure to act in this regard is fear of begrudging bureaucrats is established clearly from the fact that a senior traffic police officer requesting anonymity commented, “even we have to keep our jobs,” insinuating that traffic cops are scared to earn the displeasure of senior government officers by taking action against their vehicles.
As per law, for a first time offence the offender is to be fined under Section 177 of the MV Act but if he still continues to use his designation, department or government name on his private vehicle’s number plate, he is liable to be punished with disciplinary action against by his/her department. Following a Supreme Court directive, Uttarakhand chief secretary Subhash Kumar had in May issued orders calling for immediate and strict implementation of this law.
However, three months on the office of SP Traffic, Dehradun could not provide any data on the number of challans issued for this offence. This is the situation at a time when the CPU has issued more than 13,000 challans to two-wheeler users for riding without helmet. Meanwhile, flouting officers take comfort in feigning ignorance. Is the bureaucracy above the lawIJ