SHIMLA, May 13 -- In a significant and symbolic gesture of solidarity Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta on Thursday announced a comprehensive set of measures at Raj Bhavan aimed at reducing fuel consumption, promoting austerity, and positioning Himachal Pradesh as a model state in India's collective response to global energy .
Governor has announced that Raj Bhavan will henceforth function as a designated "Fuel Conservation Zone." He announced that Lok Bhavan will observe "Petrol-Free Sundays" - with no official vehicle using a single litre of imported fuel on Sundays. All Sunday official engagements will be conducted through video conferencing or consolidated travel arrangements
Gupta has directed that the size of all his official convoys be reduced with immediate effect - a decisive and visible step that signals that the constitutional head of the state is prepared to lead by personal example even in matters of operational comfort. All non-essential official meetings will henceforth be conducted through video conferencing, eliminating unnecessary road travel. Official events and functions will be consolidated to further reduce vehicle movement. All government departments have been directed to adopt strict austerity measures and minimise fuel expenditure with immediate effect.
Governor has declared that he will not use the state government helicopter for any official engagements until the West Asia crisis subsides and global fuel prices stabilise. "When the nation is being called upon to conserve every drop of fuel, it would be inappropriate for me to use the most fuel-intensive mode of official transport available," the Gupta said.
As the Chancellor of all State Universities of Himachal Pradesh, Governor Gupta made a special appeal to Vice Chancellors across the state to institutionalise fuel and energy conservation within their respective campuses immediately. He asked the Vice Chancellors to issue formal advisories to faculty, staff, and students promoting carpooling, cycling, and use of public transport for daily commute. He called upon students - as the most energetic and influential section of society - to become ambassadors of the fuel conservation movement in their colleges, hostels, and home communities. "Our universities must not merely teach conservation as a subject - they must practise it as a culture," the Governor said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.