Govt vows action against bus operators for joining strike

Govt vows action against bus operators for joining strike
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 5
Transport Department said that it will conduct case-to-case study on the private buses, which remained off the roads today, before initiating action against them.
In spite the State government’s decision to hike bus ticket fares by ten paisa per kilometre, the State private buses preferred to continue their daylong bus strike on Monday. The bus operators had expressed unhappiness over the quantum of ticket hike.
“We will initiate the action only after going through the circumstances that made private operators to remain off the roads,” Transport Director Arun Desai said.
He said that the department will conduct case-to-case study. “We need to hear from each operator the reason for going on strike,” Desai said. 
Desai said that the action could be either in form of suspension of temporary or permanent permits or imposition of fines.
“The action will be taken tomorrow. The report is under progress,” he said.
Meanwhile, the private operators who met today in Panjim decided that even if a single permit is cancelled, then the entire private bus transport will come to standstill.
Transport Minister Ramakrishna Dhavlikar had warned of cancellation of temporary bus permits, if the vehicles remained off road.
“He said that our strike is illegal and had warned suspension of bus permits. But if he does so then he will be responsible for further consequences. Not a single bus will run in the State,” North Goa Private Bus Owners Association, President Sudesh Calangutkar said.
He even said that they would protest at respective RTO offices.
Calangutkar pointed out that most of the buses that run on Margao-Vasco route are have only temporary permits.