PANJIM: The government late on Saturday night invoked Essential Services Management Act (ESMA) to stop the taxi operators from going ahead with the token strike on Monday.
A senior government official told Herald that any taxi operator resorting to the strike will face strict action or even arrest as per the law. The 9,000 members of All Goa Tourism Taxi Owners Association (AGTTOA), North and South Goa Tourist Taxi Associations are however determined to boycott work as per planned schedule.
“Nothing can stop us from going on strike. The government cannot impose rules abruptly when we had already given them the strike notice on April 5,” AGTTOA general secretary Vinayak Nanoskar said.
Around 15,000 tourist taxis will remain off roads protesting the government’s failure to crackdown on the rampant illegal rent-a-bike and rent-a-car businesses. The taxis at Dabolim airport, railway stations, starred hotels and tourist taxi stands will refuse business.
The strike will also stress that the traditional source of income of the association’s members are affected owing to rental bikes & cars.
Naik warned that if government still fails to heed to their demands, the affected groups will go on indefinite strike.
