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| Demanding fare hike, transporters to observe strike today | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 18:Passenger transporters have called for one-day strike tomorrow to protest Government's indecisiveness regarding their demand of increase in passenger fares.
Transporters said more than one lakh passenger vehicles will remain off the roads on Monday to protest against the State Government for not revising the transport fares after the diesel price hike.
The transporters said transport, especially passenger vehicles, across Jammu and Kashmir will remain off the roads on Monday, November 19.
"So far we have held many meetings with the Government representatives and apprised them about the difficulties and losses transporters are facing after the increase in diesel prices. We cannot afford more losses. So we have decided to go for the strike tomorrow against the Government's silence," Vijay Kumar Sharma, general secretary of transport union said, adding that if the government failed to address their grievances then they would have no option but to go for indefinite strike.
He also said that earlier in September this year they had submitted a representation to the State Government and had asked them to put pressure on central government to roll back the diesel prices hike or increase the passenger fares.
He added: "We also conveyed to them that increase in passenger fares by 14 percent in October last year was not sufficient to compensate the losses of the transporters of the state. Now again Union Government increased the rate of Diesel by Rs 5 from September this year."
"The state government was not able to exert pressure on New Delhi, however, even they have not come clear over the issue of increasing passenger fares. Since then the state government had four cabinet meetings, even the standing committee on transport has also approved revised passenger rates and sent it forward for the approval in the cabinet. We were waiting till now that the government would issue any order regarding the fares, but nothing happened,"he said.
He further said that during the last one and half year there had been considerable increase in petroleum products like Mobile oil, grease, lubricants, compelled with taxes and passenger insurance premium from Rs 32,000 to Rs 48,000 per annum besides 20 percent increase in labour costs.
Transport commissioner Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo said that the demands of transporters are under active consideration. The recommendations have been submitted to the government and we are waiting for the response. |
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