Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Aug 16: As per law of this land it is illegal to hire a vehicle, with while registration number plate, for commercial use. According to present rules, vehicles with yellow registration number plate are only allowed to commercial works in these Islands.
But this rule is always openly violated by many Government Departments again and again. In Mayabunder region it has become a trend to book vehicles with white number plate for various government works.
APWD, Zilla Parishad and Panchayat of Mayabunder are booking only a few selected white board vehicles again and again for government works, making mockery of the present system.
Andaman Sheekha has exclusive photographs of a few vehicles, which doesn’t have license to do commercial works, but are booked by Andaman PWD.
Andaman Sheekha’s Mayabunder Correspondent have found that in most of the cases the departments are not even putting a tag of “On Government Duty” on these vehicles, to avoid complications as while making payment, in most of the cases, payment is made against yellow board vehicle.
“We have to pay nearly Rs. 10,000 to Rs 15,000 for permit in DC office every year but while booking often government departments give preference to white board vehicles. This is injustice,” said a resident of Mayabunder.
Not only in Mayabunder, in Port Blair too such practice is widespread. Employees working in same department influence the HoDs and put their own vehicle for commercial use, violating rules and regulation.
Hiring white board vehicles may look like a minor offense but if the amount of money, involved in this deal is considered, then the offence looks too serious and when it’s a question of hiring dozens of such vehicles everyday then the amount crosses several lakhs in a year.
The Lt. Governor has already clarified that he would follow “Zero Tolerance for Corruption” policy. Isn’t this corruption? Who will take action against such illegal deals.
