Avoid red, flasher lights atop vehicles: Govt warns officers

The state government has warned its officers, including those in the police and the administration, to refrain from affixing red lights and flasher lights atop their vehicles. In a letter to all administrative secretaries, the Secretary (Transport) stated that some officers had affixed flasher lights and red lights on their vehicles in daily routine in contravention of the provisions of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The misuse of flasher lights and red lights would be considered a violation of the law and the offender would be liable to pay penalty, he added.

The Secretary stated that vehicles on official duty, designated for emergency and disaster management, were allowed to use multi-colour red, blue and white light but some officers had been using it in daily routine.

Furthermore, the Secretary wrote that some government and privately-owned vehicles were fitted with multi-colour fancy glow lights, which posed danger to the general public and violated the regulations stipulated in the Motor Vehicles Act and Rules. “Such unauthorised lights can cause distraction and glare to other road users and disrupt visibility to others,” he added.

Meanwhile, an official spokesperson said here today that the state government has decided to provide full salary to MBBS doctors pursuing postgraduate studies or specialised training in India or abroad with the aim to strengthen health care in Himachal.

An official spokesperson said here today that previously, doctors on study leave received only 40 per cent of their salaries, which discouraged them from going for higher education. “The state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has taken significant steps to strengthen the health care sector by granting this benefit to doctors keen to pursue higher studies,” he added.

He said that by ensuring full pay during study leave, the government aimed at supporting the doctors in balancing their educational aspirations and their professional responsibilities, he added.

The spokesperson said that the decision would enhance the quality of medical training, encourage specialisation, and ultimately improve health care services across the state. Once these doctors complete their higher studies, they would serve in government health institutions, contributing to a more advanced and well-equipped health care system in Himachal Pradesh, he added.