PANJIM: The North Goa Rent-a-Cab Taxi Association (NGRCA) has threatened to launch a massive protest at Calangute and came down heavily on the government for failing to resolve their seven-month-old issue of legalizing permits to carry out the rent-a-car service.
The association also slammed Calangute MLA Michael Lobo for playing spoilsport after his initial support, an allegation which has been denied by the BJP legislator.
“He (Lobo) has been interfering with our business. He initially showed his support by trying in vain to get an appointment from chief minister (Laxmikant Parsekar). We then approached (tourism minister) Dilip Parulekar to intervene. Since we did so, Lobo placed another group opposite us,” association president Ramdas Palkar said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Claiming that Parulekar has been supporting their issue, the association members alleged that the government is not taking interest to ensure they are back in business. “Government is taking us for granted,” Secretary Amit Shirodkar rued. “CM gave us false assurances of resolving our issue by Ganesh Chaturthi but even the festival of Diwali has concluded. Everything is being done at the whims and fancies of Lobo,” he added.
Shirodkar clarified that the association has 1,300 rent-a-cabs unlike the tourist taxi operators who number more than 10,000.
With the CM failing to give them an appointment to discuss the matter, the association has given the government a final chance to heed their demands by next week failing which they will take to the streets of Calangute. “Our families are starving since the closure of our business,” Shirodkar said.
While this struggle is on, tourist taxi owners from the north and south districts have demanded action against the illegal renting of private vehicles.
Denying the allegations, Lobo said, “Government should crack down on illegal rent-a-car business as this has deprived real businessmen in taxi service of their livelihood. Taxi business is self employment for our locals whereas those in rent-a-cabs are mostly into other businesses.”
