TEAM HERALD
sports@herald-goa.com
OLD GOA: A few days back when Herald had highlighted the plight of the drivers who had arrived in the State from various parts of Maharashtra to drive vehicles that are used for transporting Lusofonia Games officials and athletes, it was expected that there would have been at least some improvement in the living conditions of the drivers.
On the contrary, the situation has turned from bad to worse with the drivers complaining that they have been treated like animals and made to eat stale food, which has forced over 450 drivers to go on strike.
“There is no sufficient drinking water, no water for bathing, no rest room, no sleeping place, insufficient toilets,” complained the drivers while stating that the food that is served to them for the past two days is stale.
“We have gone hungry since the past two days and nobody is willing to listen to our pleas for fresh food,” said the drivers while complaining that they don’t have money to eat food daily from the hotels.
“Even if some of us want to take the vehicles to buy food from outside, the security personnel do not allow us to take the vehicles and we have to walk for several kilometers to get food,” the drivers further complained.
The drivers also informed Herald that they were promised by their employers that all the facilities including stay, food, bathroom, toilet, etc. would be provided to them but it has turned out to be false promises.
“We can understand if a few facilities are lacking but if no facilities are provided at all, then what is the use of working and that too on a hungry stomach,” opined a driver while pointing out that since the day he arrived he has been facing gas problems due to the poor quality of food served. “Several drivers fell sick due to food poisoning but there were no doctors to treat them and they had to shell money from their own pocket for treatment,” the drivers divulged.
“We were also promised that we would be paid Rs 30000 each and the duty would be of only 12 hours,” the drivers told while stating that now they have been told that they would have to work for 24 hours.
“When we go out with the guests, nobody takes care of our needs and most of the times we have to stay hungry and thirsty,” the drivers said and informed that some officials force them to use the vehicles for their personal work, even when the official work is over.
When this correspondent tried to highlight the problems of the drivers to one of the managers of the transport company, the manager shot back by stating that the media should provide food to the drivers if they are really concerned about them.
The drivers further said that they are not allowed to sleep sufficiently as water is poured on the floor, at 6 am, forcing them to get up. “Also, the bomb squad arrives at 6 am and conducts checking of the vehicles, thereby disturbing the sleep of the drivers who sleep inside the vehicles,” the drivers further added.
“The mobile toilets number around 30, which is not sufficient for a workforce of around 1000,” informed the drivers while informing that most of the drivers prefer to answer the nature’s call in the open.
