Bus owners call for stir on July 5

PANJIM, JUNE 27
Demanding immediate removal of Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, private bus owners have called for a one-day token strike on July 5 in protest against the government’s failure to revise the ticket price.
“The last time the tickets price was hiked was in December 2008, more than 18 months ago when the diesel price was Rs  35.33 per litre,” the All Goa Private Bus Owners Association Secretary Sudip Tamankar told Herald after the meeting held in Panjim.
The secretary added, “Today the diesel price is Rs 40.27, an increase of  Rs 4.94 and still the government is unmoved.”
“We are facing hardship due to this government attitude and have decided to go on a one day strike on July 5 if the government fails to meet our demand,” he said adding “If the government does not pay heed even after that we will go on indefinite strike.”
Tamankar said that the bus owners also understand the problems the general public will face due to the hike.
“We don’t want to trouble the public much and hence we have demanded hike of just 20 paise per kilometre,” he said.
He stated that last time they had given a call for indefinite strike from May 25 but the director of transport convened a meeting a day before and convinced them he would resolve the issue within 15 days.
“However, till date they have not taken any decision,” he said.
The association also demanded immediate removal of Dhavalikar saying he is insensitive to the problems of the common man.
“Neither is he concerned about us nor the common man,” Tamankar said adding “Whenever we go to meet him he just does not give us an appointment.”
He said Dhavalikar has not kept his promises of giving new tyres to the bus operators or declaring the business as an industry.