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| Halted wheels throw life out of gear | | Govt sets up panel to discuss fare hike demand | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | June 9
After their repeated pleas to the government to look into the matter of passenger fair hike, the transporters finally halted their fleets throwing the routine life out of gear. Even though the government has constituted a panel to examine the demand of transporters but the strike is unlikely to be called off till a final decision is taken.
Public transport stayed off the roads and offices and educational institutions reported thin attendance Monday as a four-day strike against the hike in fuel prices brought life to a standstill across Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the State Cabinet which met in Srinagar this morning under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad approved the inclusion of Commissioner Secretary Administration Department in the Committee headed by Commissioner Secretary Finance to look into the demands of transporters and issues arising due to hike in petrol, diesel and any reduction in taxes as may be finalized by the government.
The Committee will interact with the representatives of the transporters and submit their report to the Government within a week’s time.
The Cabinet also decided to associate representatives of Clerical Employees Association with the deliberations of the Pay Anomaly Committee.
The strike, called by the All Kashmir Transporters Welfare Association to protest last week's hike in the prices of fuel, saw buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws remaining off the roads and long lines of commuters in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
The non-availability of public transport resulted in marginal attendance in schools and colleges as well as offices. The administration tried to meet the challenge by mobilising buses of its State Road Transport Corporation. However, reports from other parts of the, including Rajouri-Poonch, Doda, Kathua and districts of Valley also indicated that the strike had thrown life out of gear.
"Transport fares have not been revised here since 2005 while oil prices have increased manifold during this period. This has put us under tremendous pressure as we are incurring continuous losses," said Tarlochan Singh Wazir, a leaders of the union of transporters.
Meanwhile in Srinagar, the local traders' federation has also decided to join the transporters strike on June 11 to show solidarity with them. The central government last week hiked the prices of petrol by Rs.5 a litre, diesel by Rs.3 a litre and cooking gas by Rs.50 per cylinder. |
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