Helmet rule: Pondy Chief Minister questions L-G’s Whatsapp directive to DGP

The Lt Governor had in a WhatsApp message to the Director General of Police yesterday directed him to implement without delay, the order issued some months back to make wearing a helmet mandatory.

Narayanasamy told reporters here that when the government passed the order, MLAs wanted a detailed plan to be drawn up first. They also felt that there should be a sustained awareness campaign before enforcing it, he said.

The order was thus kept in abeyance. Narayanasamy, who has been at loggerheads with Bedi on various issues ever since she assumed office last year, also questioned the ‘propriety’ of the Lt Governor in issuing the directive to the DGP through a WhatsApp message without the knowledge of the minister concerned.

“Implementation of such sudden directives would not be possible in a democratic set up”, he said adding that the government had already launched programmes to create awareness among people on the need to wear helmets.

He said any decision taken by the Lt-Governor must be sent first to the concerned Secretary of the department,who in turn would hold discussions with the Minister concerned before issuing orders for compulsory wearing of helmets.

Bedi had yesterday issued the directive to the DGP after highlighting media reports on threat to the safety of two wheeler riders riding without wearing helmets.