PERNEM: Protesting taximen demanding a Yellow and Black taxi counter at the Manohar International Airport at Mopa on Wednesday accused the Goa government of working for the benefit of outside companies by getting blue taxis.
They resolved to continue their protest till their demand for a Yellow and Black taxi counter at Manohar International Airport is fulfilled.
The villagers, especially the cabbies, protested along the main road at Nagzar, leading to new airport demanding justice with respect to compensation, jobs and business opportunities for people of Pernem.
Uday Mahale, President of the taxi association said, “We will continue with our protest till the Yellow and Black taxi counter is notified at the new airport.”
“Each day a group of 10 to 15 people will sit in protest to condemn the failure of government to compensate the land losers, for not providing jobs and business opportunities to locals,” he said.
“The blue taxi concept, which the government is trying to get as whole, is to benefit the outside company and not the cabbies. Having Yellow and Black taxi counter is our right. If there is Yellow and Black taxi counter the Dabolim airport, then the same rule implies at this airport too. Is the government hand-in-glove with the outside companies and the way it finished our land and other sources of livelihood, it wants to sell this business to corporate companies,” Mahale alleged.
“We strongly object to blue taxis and are firm on our decision to have Yellow and Black taxi counter and it should be without any condition of freezing the number of taxis. Having Yellow and Black taxi counter is our right as per the law since there is provision for the same as per the Motor Vehicle Act,” the taxi association members said.
“Cabbies are not asking for anything illegal. They are asking what is in Motor Vehicle Act,” Sudip Tamhankar said.
