Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jun 21: Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner (DC), A B Ibrahim, said that he would be issuing instruction to regional transport officer to cancel the licences of gas tankers which violate ban placed on their movement within the district between 10 pm and 6 am.
The deputy commissioner was providing details after being asked by district in-charge minister, Ramanath Rai, at the quarterly Karnataka Development Programme meeting held on Monday sought measures undertaken to regulate the number of accidents in the district, which have been on an inreaseof laste. "As per information, an average of 1,800 tankers move about in the district, which is beyond the capacity of the district. Although parking of tankers by roadside at night and movement have been banned, there have been instances of tankers moving at night and parking by roadsides. He said strong measures will be taken to enforce this ban.
Additional DC, Kumar, said that a meeting of representatives of tanker firms, HPCL, BPCL and others had been held at the office of the DC, where about 11 instructions had been given. The instructions include non-parking of tankers by roadside, earmarking of two acres of land each at Suratkal and Kottara for their parking, provision of two drivers and a cleaner for each of the tankers, and provision of two more emergency rescue vehicles in addition to one provided at present. Fixing of speed governors to vehicles, providing training to tanker drivers, and keeping track through GPS are some of the other instructions, he added.
Additional district superintendent of police, Vedamurthy, said that check posts have been set up at Charmadi and Shiradi and that personnel have been provided with motor bikes with instructions to rush to the spot and take up emergency measures in case of need.
Ibrahim said that there is expectation that gas transportation through pipeline might begin between the city and Bengaluru by September this year, as most of the pipeline work has been completed, and only a small stretch at Kunigal is pending. He said tanker movement will come down once this pipeline begins functioning.
MLA, Ivan D'Souza, and MLA, Mohiuddin Bava, pointed out that incomplete highway works and slow-moving service roads have been giving rise to accidents. Officials of the highway departments said that Kottara service road has been completed, and the others are in final stages. Ivan said that when he questioned a tanker driver, he said that policemen allow the tankers to move on upon payment of Rs 500 when caught for violations. To this, deputy commissioner of police, Shantaraju, said that strict measures will be taken if individual cases are brought to the notice of the department.