Babus flout government orders, prefer petrol to gas kits

To retain the full power of their flashy cars, babus in Gujarat have been avoiding getting CNG kits installed in their vehicles. This is another example how the ‘insensitive’ officials duck the responsibility when it can probably reduce their comfort by not more than an iota.

Again, this is despite the fact that costs for the same will be borne by their respective departments, ultimately the state exchequer! Though the state transport department has been writing to the various departments to follow the norms set by the government in this regard, the babudom does not seem to be too inclined to step on the ‘gas’ pedal so soon. 

The state government, meanwhile, is going to make the norms regarding use of vehicles tougher. According to sources, ports and transport department is working on a draft of transport policy targeting vehicles owned by the various government departments. “The policy will emphasise on economic and environment friendly aspects of these vehicles,” sources said.   

“Last year the state government had allowed that new vehicles could be bought for the use of principal secretaries and secretaries. The money was to be used from the budget of their respective departments,” according to a senior official, adding that cap on such expenditure was limited to Rs7 lakh.

There are nine principal secretaries and 18 secretaries, heading 24 departments of the state government. Most of these officials have since bought the latest model of a leading brand. Only few officials like additional chief secretary Anchal Kumar Jyoti, secretary Raj Kumar and Arunkumar Sutaria are still moving around in old vehicles.

This is however, not because officials being driven around in old cars are on an austerity drive. “The vehicle should have completed either two lakh kilometres or 10 years before it can be auctioned and a new car be bought for them,” a senior official said.

“The transport department had informed all the departments to get CNG kits in the cars as the same was required by pollution control policy of Gujarat government. It was even more important as the new cars give a pathetic mileage of 9 km/litre of petrol. Only police department and those of IPS officials were exempted from the same,” an official told DNA.

However, transport department has been sending repeated reminders to these officials but to no avail. “Instead it has to carry on footing the bill of excessive amount generated due to use of petrol in the luxury cars. Most of the officials believe that using CNG will reduce the power of their vehicles and the ride would not be as comfortable,” another official said. 

He also pointed out the fact that those IAS officers, who are posted in different PSUs, enjoy high-end vehicles according to the capacity of the organisations as they are not governed by the same rules. “At times it hurts the ego of some senior official to see a junior in a better car as the later would be on an ex-cadre posting and thus enjoying better perks.”