By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, January 22: The Additional Superintendent of Police, Kangra District, Pankaj Sharma, today asked the Tibetans living in his district to follow rules and regulations set for procurement of RC extension, exit permit, police clearance certificate and return visa.
Sharma was speaking today to the local Tibetan public at the invitation of the Tibetan Settlement Office.
Sharma spoke on the changes and the new guidelines introduced for acquiring various documents needed by the Tibetans to travel abroad and maintain their stay permit in India.
“The renewal of RC and the issuance of exit permit have all been made online. However, the online module is not picking up the ‘5-year renewal option’ for the India born Tibetans. So for them they do not require police clearance. So far the online format is picking up only one renewal period,” Sharma said.
The ASP asked the Tibetans to seek their exit permit 10-15 days prior to ‘wherever they are exiting’. He complained that Tibetans come to his office and his residence in the morning for issuance of the exit permit by the evening.
“What is the exit permit issued for?” he asked. “It is issued to check whether a person has any cases pending against him and it is also needed for the procedure of extradition. We contact all the FRROs in India to check if any cases are pending against a certain individual. If we get no reply within three days, it is deemed that there are no cases pending. It is time consuming and it becomes difficult when a person request exit permit in a day.”
He also said the maximum duration for the return visa is 90 days and that if a person fails to return he or she can renew it at the Indian embassy in that country.
He specifically emphasized on the importance of wearing helmets by bikers and the danger of ‘drunk driving’. “About 60-70 percent road deaths in Kangra district are due to head injuries on two wheelers. Drive fast but wear helmet and protect your self and your coconut,” said Sharma.
