After embarrassment to the Uttarakhand government after a letter allegedly issued by a Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to Bageshwar SSP for cancellation of challans of three trucks for overloading started doing the rounds on social media, the government Has dismissed the PRO concerned and ordered an inquiry.
Earlier, in a purported letter dated December 8 directed to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bageshwar, PRO Nandan Singh Bisht said that he has been verbally directed by the CM to cancel the challans of the said trucks. The letter, a copy of which is going viral on social media, also mentions the registration numbers of the trucks and a copy has been sent to the regional transport office.
talking to Indian ExpressBageshwar SSP Amit Srivastava said that on November 29, three trucks loaded with soapstone (a talc-scholar, which is a type of metamorphic rock) were stopped and challaned for overloading. Later the challan was transferred to the Assistant Regional Transport Office.
“The said trucks were among the many vehicles that were stopped that day for overloading. It was not a case of illegal mining. Since the challan was under the Motor Vehicles Act, it was forwarded to the ARTO for further action. The amount of the challan was around Rs 45,000, and to my knowledge, it has now been paid to the concerned authorities,” Srivastava said.
Regarding the letter, he said, while it is addressed to him, his office has not yet received any such letter and he has come to know about it only through social media.
While Nandan Singh Bisht did not respond to calls, officials in the CM’s office informed that he has been removed from his services on Saturday and an inquiry has been initiated.
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