Decide to paralyse interstate operations into Goa from May 12 midnight
TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Goa could be heading for major shortages in food supplies with the specter of a blockade looming large, as neighbouring transporters revived their threat of paralysing the movement of goods into Goa, this time backed by interstate bus operators.
Now that the Karnataka elections are over, the transporters have upped the ante to roll back the entry tax imposed by Goa government and for the first time this strike could also affect passenger traffic, ruining the holiday plans of tourists and Goans who would be moving in and out of the state.
The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) on Wednesday announced that they would stop goods and passenger traffic to Goa from midnight of May 12, demanding a roll back of the entry tax and refusing to accept any concessions in entry tax as sops.
AIMTC managing committee, which met in Goa on Wednesday decided to strike, as Chief Minister had refused to roll back the entry tax and has failed to come out with the pass system till date as assured.
“We have decided to strike from May 12 midnight. All the goods trucks and passenger buses even carrying tourists would not ply to Goa. The decision is unanimous,” AIMTC President Bal Malkit Singh told reporters after the meeting. He alleged that the entry tax had been imposed illegally by Goa government, and is fixated on its stand of not withdrawing the tax.
“This time we are also firm on our stand and government will have to face its adverse effect,” he said.
The issue was prominently raised during AIMTC conference which is currently underway in Goa, wherein 450 transporters are participating. Singh said that the bus owners’ lobby plying interstate is also part of the Congress, which has vehemently supported the strike.
The state is already facing beef shortage due to ban on import of cattle from Karnataka imposed by High Court. Further, there has been also scarcity of vegetables due to short supply from neighbouring Karnataka due to elections and as a result vegetables prices are soaring. The situation is likely to turn worse if transporters from neighbouring states go ahead with their protest.
Transporters from the markets of Belgaum (Karnataka) and Kolhapur (Maharashtra) had stopped the supply of food grains and other essential commodities to Goa when the state government had implemented entry tax for vehicles registered outside the state from April 15. The strike was called off following an assurance from Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, that he would issue concessional passes to these transporters.
State has imposed the entry tax ranging between Rs 100 to 1000 depending on the size of the vehicle. Trucks are charged Rs 1000 per trip. The vehicles from neighbouring Sindhudurg, Karwar, Belgaum and Kolhapur who frequent the state with essential commodities have been exempted from entry tax for the time being.
Singh alleged that government is trying the divide and rule policy by giving exemption to vehicles from selected districts. “The AIMTC members have decided not to fall prey to this divide and rule policy and unitedly strike from May 12,” he added. “It’s a huge burden on the common man who survive only on movement of these vehicles.
The President said that a delegation of transporters and traders had tried to call for a meeting with Chief Minister and Transport Minister Ramkrishna Dhavalikar on the issue but failed as the leaders were out of station.
Singh said that the trader’s body has already taken up the issue with BJP high command including its national president Rajnath Singh demanding roll back of entry tax. “The BJP defeat in Karnataka was a result of people protest against their anti-people policies,” he said. “Not just Goa, but we are against entry tax on any state borders,” he added.
