LT Guv announces slew of measures to keep a tab on crime

Two days after she was sworn in as Lt Governor of Puducherry, Kiran Bedi got cracking, announcing a slew of measures to check crime and corruption in the Union Territory.
She said a toll free phone number '1031' will be in place on June 8 to enable people to register complaints on corruption, eve teasing, activities of anti-social elements and also crime against women.
Releasing a draft plan on 'crime prevention and road safety' at a function, organised by the Puducherry Police here today, she said, "The reputation of Puducherry as a peaceful Union Territory deserves to be made still better."

In her first public function as Lt Governor, the former IPS officer, who assumed office on Sunday, announced that the toll free phone number would receive information from public as a "closed and secret information and tip-off" and only she, IG of Police and Chief Secretary would know the message.
It was left to the person giving the complaint to opt for identification, and the information given should also be genuine and wrong-doers would be taken to task by police, she said.
Corrupt practices would attract dismissal of the officials from service.

If the complaint helped the police bring justice to the victims of crimes, police would reward the complainants.

She said the Commercial Taxes department would spare no effort to collect Value Added Tax from the business community.
She said the Secretary to Education and also Director of School Education would make surprise visits to schools to ascertain whether the teachers turned up punctually. The surprise visits would also be adopted in respect of hospitals and public health institutions by senior officers.
Bedi said spot fining would be adopted by traffic police from tomorrow to prevent violation of traffic rules and also parking of vehicles in 'no parking zones'.
On goods on pavements hindering movement of pedestrians, she said, "Merchants should on their own remove the goods and other advertisement boards or else the municipal authorities would swing into action."

She said there would be no holding up of traffic during the visits of VIPs and no sirens would be used and this measure would come into effect in a week's time.
The Lt Governor added that she intended to achieve the objective of "prosperous Puducherry" and wanted cooperation from public and other stakeholders.