PANJIM: The All Goa Private Bus Owners Association have threatened to stage protests during the ensuing Ganesh Chaturthi festival to draw the attention of the government to their long pending demands.
“We will protest wherever the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant attends programmes during the festival,” said AGPBOA general secretary Sudip Tamankar on Thursday.
Tamankar charged that for the last months, they have been meeting the Chief Minister with their demands. he was only giving them assurances but had failed to take any decision.
“The government had failed to release fuel subsidy to private bus operators since June 2018 while, subsidy for replacement of old buses which are 15 years old is pending,” stated Tamankar.
According to Tamankar, in October 2018, the Government had issued a notification exempting battery operated vehicles and the ones driven on ethanol or methanol from the requirement of permit for carrying passengers or goods. “We have opposed this notification because it will allow any person to operate Electric Vehicle buses without obtaining permits in the State,” he said.
Tamankar further said that on June 5 this year, the Goa government had issued an Office Memorandum mandating all its departments, semi-government corporations and autonomous bodies to purchase only electric vehicles, with a price cap of Rs 30 lakh. But despite of this circular, the Department of Transport had purchased eight diesel vehicles.
He warned that if the government fails to release pending fuel subsidy and insurance scheme which is pending for last seven years before Ganesh Chaturthi festival then they will have no option but to ‘beg’ for financial help from the public.
“During Ganesh Chaturthi, we will follow the CM wherever he attends programmes and I will lead the private bus operators into begging for alms from people there. Whatever money is collected will be donated to the CM’s Relief Fund,” Tamankar said, adding that it will at least help the government to provide solace to the people.