TUESDAY, MAY 07, 2024
Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector (AMVI) Mandar Adpaikar, posted at the Mollem check-post was placed under suspension for holding a truck transporting liquid medical oxygen from Karnataka to Goa, for non-payment of cess.
The incident took place on Thursday when Adpaikar stopped the truck for nearly 20 minutes. The truck was carrying 13 tonnes of oxygen.
During an inspection, Adpaikar noticed that the vehicle had not paid the cess for the oxygen, which amounted to Rs 3250. He told the truck driver to pay the cess at Rs 250 per ton but the driver told him that he did not have sufficient cash.
The AMVI then contacted his higher ups and allowed the vehicle to enter the State with the condition that the driver would pay the cess on return. But 20 minutes later the Transport Department officials told Adpaikar to allow the vehicle without recovering the cess amount.
The same evening, the Transport Director issued an order suspending Adpaikar for holding the oxygen-laden truck at the checkpost for 20 minutes. The Director also gave charge of the Mollem checkpost to AMVI Sagar Shet.
It is learnt that there are no clear instructions from the government to the RTO on allowing emergency vehicles.
