MARGAO: The agitating taxi owners began feeling the ire of the government on Tuesday as three different departments launched their attacks against them.
The Assistant Director of Transport and the Police issued show cause notices for cancellation of their licences and prevent them from committing any offences respectively while the Deputy Collector booked some chapter cases.
As the government has invoked Essential Services Maintenance Act in view of the taxi owners strike, Assistant Director of Transport Vinod Arlekar issued show cause notices on 17 taxi owners from Salcete asking them to reply within 24 hours why their taxi licence should not be suspended or cancelled.
The notice points out that they were issued the licence to offer a service to the people but by keeping their vehicles off the road they have violated the terms and conditions of the licence and hence they have been served the show cause notice.
Meanwhile, the Police in Salcete have prepared over 100 notices under Section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code which aims at preventing any person from committing a cognizable offence and the same will be served upon the striking taxi owners cautioning them against keeping their vehicles off the road.
While Margao Town Police have issued notices to 14 taxi owners and Colva Police have issued notices to 16 of them many more are expected to be served as police personnel are on the lookout for taxis that are not operating.
In another development, the Deputy Collector has summoned five taxi owners, three from Colva and two from Margao under Chapter cases to sign good behaviour bonds as there were cases booked against them earlier.
