PANJIM: Science and Technology Minister Michael Lobo on Tuesday demanded that digital taxi meters be provided to all the taxi operators free of cost.
After discussing the matter with Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, Lobo said that delegations of taxi operators met him regarding the termination of permits by the Directorate of Transport for non-complying with the directives to fit digital meters for their vehicles.
Lobo said that the taxi operators are facing lot of hardships and struggling to make their living for the last five months due to COVID-19 pandemic and curfew in force. Many of them are also unable to repay their loan installments due to financial crisis, he said adding that they were also finding it difficult to pay Rs 11,500, which is the cost of digital meters with printer, etc.
Lobo said that following his request the Chief Minister asked the Director of Transport to stop issuing notices of termination of permits to taxi operators, who had not installed meters to their vehicles within the stipulated time-frame.
Lobo said that he also requested the Chief Minister to convene a meeting of taxi operators, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and himself to discuss and resolve all the pending issues of taxi operators.
