Departments confused over implementation

KOLHAPUR: The motor vehicle department's regional transport office (RTO) and the police administration may face difficulty in implementing the newly-introduced 'no helmet-no petrol' policy as they are ill prepared.

The state decided to implement the policy from August 1. With only five days left, officials are puzzled about taking action against the violators. The state has not provided any clear guidelines, except for asking oil companies, petrol dealers, the RTO and traffic cops to implement the policy.

The RTO, Kolhapur has started with strict implementation of the norm for bikers on national and state highways. Teams from Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara were asked to start issuing fines to two-wheeler riders on highways without helmet. However, the office does not have an implementation plan for the policy.

"We have started taking action against violators from Monday and have fined 34 riders from across three districts. Over the next four days, we will intensify our drive to make the helmet mandatory," Laxman Darade, RTO, Kolhapur region, said.

He added that his teams will also implement the policy effectively and come out with a plan by July 31. "We are in touch with the state authority in this regard. We will let people know over the next four-five days about the kinds of action they may face for violation," Darade said.

The city traffic police department is waiting for a joint meeting with the RTO and petrol pump dealers in Kolhapur. "The meeting may be held in the next few days. We will implement the norm as per the government's instructions. We will convene a meeting under the district superintendent of police about executing the policy," Ashok Dhumal, police inspector of the city traffic department, said.

The state home department on July 21 issued a notification directing petrol pump owners not to provide petrol to bikers without helmets. Pump owners have already expressed their inability to implement the norm, saying it will invite disputes between customers and pump operators.

"We are not against making the helmet mandatory. Our concern is about the involvement of pump operators in the implementation process, without giving them clear instructions or any support from the police department. We have called for a meeting of petrol pump owners across Maharashtra tomorrow at Mumbai. We will discuss the issue with our members before finalising our stand," Uday Lod, president of the federation of all India petrol dealers association, said.

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