THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A few days after the government turned down its request for extra funds to purchase fuel, the police department on Tuesday ordered personnel in Thiruvananthapuram district to refuel department vehicles from local, privately-owned petrol pumps on credit.
The order issued by state police chief Anil Kant has not gone down well with several personnel, especially those in the middle and lower rungs of hierarchy. They said it will diminish the force’s esteem and pave way for corruption among officers.
Kant’s order follows the government’s refusal of the department’s request to allot additional funds for fuel, made after the department-owned petrol pump ran dry and the fund allocated to the force in this financial year for fuel expenses was depleted.
TNIE had earlier reported that Kant had asked officers to cut down on fuel expenses citing financial crunch. He had also directed unit heads to stick to the fuel ceiling fixed for each police wing. The police top brass had earlier brought the matter to government’s attention after which state-run carrier KSRTC was instructed to provide fuel to police vehicles on credit for 45 days.
A section of officers, who were dissatisfied with Kant’s order, said forcing personnel to be at the mercy of pumps owner privately will diminish the esteem of the force. “The senior officers who have taken the decision have got nothing to lose. Officers on the lowest level of hierarchy are the ones who would be forced to liaison with pump owners. There are chances of some officers becoming corrupt in future because of this association,” said an office-bearer of Kerala Police Association.
Kerala Congress working chairman P C Thomas said the department’s functioning will be affected if its vehicles are deprived of fuel. “The chief minister should urgently intervene and allot funds to the department for purchasing fuel,” he said.