No law enforcement agency can stall implementation of helmet rule in force: Bedi

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedion Thursday said no law enforcement agency can stall theimplementation of helmet rule now in force in the unionterritory.

Her statement comes a day after Chief Minister VNarayanasamy had said that the rule has been stalled as itsenforcement should be done only after generating awarenessamong the road users.

In her whatsapp message to the media, the former IPSofficer said the CM's statement was an 'irregular' and'illegal direction'.

She claimed that no law enforcement agency can stall theimplementation of the law in force.

''People need to understand that the application of thelaw on road safety is in their own interest.

Any loss of life in road accidents leaves the familyorphaned and leaves the family to remain at the mercy ofothers,'' Bedi said.

Calling on the road users to adhere to the road safetyrules and norms, the Lt Governor also asked the two wheelerriders to cooperate with the police and wear helmet whiledriving.

She further said the Supreme Court appointed committee onRoad Safety is already seized of the 'gross delay' inimplementation of the national law in Puducherry and will notspare any one working to the contrary.

Traffic police in Puducherry had been implementing thehelmet rule and were imposing a penalty of Rs 1000 from thosefailing to use helmets while riding the scooters or other twowheelers.

Political parties including DMK, AIADMK and the BJP hadresisted the implementation of the rule and insisted thatawareness should first be created before enforcing the rule.

A delegation of the BJP had also presented a memorandumto Lt Governor at her office here on Wednesday seekingpostponement of the implementation of the rule.

Narayanasamy had at a press meet on Wednesday said thehelmet rule was kept in abeyance as in the first instanceawareness should be created among the road users.

He had also charged the Lt Governor with 'creating badname' to the dispensation by forcing officers to implement therule without hearing the decision of the elected government.

PTI COR ROH ROH