PANJIM: The Travel and
Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) and Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries
(GCCI) has slammed the State government for illegally and unconstitutionally
keeping in abeyance the implementation of installing digital meters on tourists
taxis.
In a rejoinder filed before
the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday, the associations submitted that
non-implementation and keeping in abeyance the amended Rule 140 are mere
excuses. “The non-implementation and keeping in abeyance of the amended Rule
140 are mere excuses… The impugned notifications are unreasonable, illegal, bad
in law, unconstitutional, perverse, without application of mind and in direct
contravention of well established constitutional principles as well as the provisions
of the Act,” the rejoinder states.
The TTAG, GCCI and other
stakeholders had last month moved the court seeking directions to the
government to implement its decision to make digital meters compulsory for
tourist taxis. The Transport department, in its reply last week submitted that
its intention to keep in abeyance the implementation was owing to the ongoing
code of conduct. The reply also highlighted the sensitivity of the issue as it
would affect a large number of self employed persons, many of whom are owners
of single taxi.
In June 2015, the transport
department had issued a notification making it mandatory to install the meters
on 15,000-odd tourist taxis in Goa. It had also incorporated a provision of
granting 50 percent subsidy or Rs 5,000 towards its purchase. The
implementation was however kept on hold owing to objections raised by some taxi
operators.
The petitioners has
reiterated that keeping the amended Rule 140 in abeyance was illegal, without
authority of the law and that it will also perpetuate the damage already caused
to industries in Goa by delayed enforcement. The bench has adjourned the matter
for further hearing on March 15.
