HP governor skips chopper use to save fuel amid West Asia crisis

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh governor Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday announced a series of austerity and fuel conservation measures at Lok Bhavan, stating that he would not use the state govt helicopter for official travel until the West Asia crisis eases and fuel prices stabilise.The governor said it would be inappropriate to use fuel-intensive transport when the country was trying to conserve energy resources. He also ordered an immediate 50% reduction in the number of vehicles in his official convoy. Gupta said the move was intended to reduce unnecessary fuel usage and encourage other govt departments to adopt similar practices. Unnecessary official meetings will now be conducted online, while official events and programmes will be merged wherever possible to cut down on vehicle movement.Describing the initiative as a symbolic and responsible step towards national interest, the governor said the measures were inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of self-reliance and fuel conservation.As part of the initiative, Lok Bhavan has been declared a special ‘Fuel Conservation Zone'. The governor announced that every Sunday would now be observed as a ‘petrol-free day', during which no official vehicles would use petrol or diesel. Official work on Sundays would instead be conducted through videoconferencing or by combining travel schedules to minimise fuel consumption.As the chancellor of all state universities, the governor urged vice-chancellors to introduce fuel- and energy-saving measures on campuses. He appealed to students, teachers and staff to adopt carpooling, cycling and public transport. He particularly called upon youth to become ambassadors of the fuel-saving campaign in their colleges and communities.The governor also encouraged people to support the ‘Vocal for Local' campaign by purchasing local products and preferring domestic tourism over foreign travel. He said Himachal Pradesh, with its natural beauty and spiritual destinations, remains one of India's finest tourist destinations. Emphasising unity and discipline, he urged the youth to actively contribute towards nation-building and social responsibility.MSID:: 131063684 413 |