Khammam Transport employees JAC up ante against State, Central govts policies

Khammam: Khammam district Transport Employees’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) staged a dharna in protest against the policies of the State and Central governments here on Monday. All Left parties extended their support to the JAC which staged the protest to get its various demands conceded by both the State and the Central governments.

Speaking on the occasion, the JAC leaders said they had decided to organise various agitation programmes from June 1 to July 15. Their major demands include bringing petrol and diesel prices under Goods and Services Act (GST), decrease in fuel rates in the next six months, decrease in third party insurance and reduction of toll tax collection among others. 

They also demanded that the State government introduce single permit system that has been pending for a long time. They said generally vehicle owners were paying quarterly tax for every three months. However, due to the partition of united Andhra Pradesh, Telangana’s geographical area was decreased and therefore the quarter tax ratio should be decreased, the demanded. 

The government should implement No Entry policy in cities like Karimnagar and should put up signboards wherever required, they said. They also sought protection of drivers, clerks and hamalies during any problematic situations. If both the State and Central governments would not respond to their protest positively, they would intensify the agitation by taking various protests. 

Owners of all transport vehicles including bus, lorry, car, auto, mini-van and others would wear black badge and keep black flags on their vehicles to mark their protest, they said. They also urged private- vehicle owners to extend their support to their protest and exhorted petrol filling station owners to keep a black flag in front of their filling stations.  

The JAC leaders said if the government would not respond positively to their protest, they would take out a ‘Chalo Hyderabad’ rally. They also said they would go an all India transport bandh if their demands were not met. 

Khammam Town Lorry Owners’ Welfare Association chairman N Satyanarayana, secretary B Poorna Chander Rao and Telangana State Lorry Owners’ Association chairman N Bhaskar Reddy and general secretary G Durga Prasad, Congress councilor N Deepak Choudhary, TDP district leader Brahmaiah, CPI leader Yerra Sreenu and others took part in the programme.