Telangana transporters stage dharna against Central govt

Hyderabad: The Telangana Auto, Cab and Lorry Unions JAC organised a dharna at Indira Park on Tuesday. The JAC members were protesting against the New Central Motor Vehicles Rules (NCMVR) and fuel prices have condemned the norm of imposing the penalty of Rs 50 per day for obtaining a Fitness Certificate from the day of default as per the new rules coming into force from April 1.

According to them, the central government's anti-people policies have made the lives of transport workers miserable, the ever-rising fuel prices have forced them to spend all their hard-earned money on petrol, diesel and gas, making it difficult for families to make ends meet. And now the new motor vehicle rule of penalty of Rs 50 per day.

Telangana State Auto, Cab And Lorry Unions JAC leaders B Venkatesam (AITUC), AS Satti Reddy (TADS), Vemula Marayya, (TRSKV), Md Amanullah Khan (TAD JAC), Kiran (IFTU), Srikanth (CITU), M Rajender Reddy, Chand Pasha (JAC of Lorry Associations) and thousands of transport workers held a 'Maha dharna' at Indira Park demanding immediate repeal of the Rs 50 penalty per day for auto fitness renewal and repeal of the new motor vehicle law. If the state government implements the new Motor Vehicle Act, the entire transport system will be troubled.

Nearly 3,000 transport workers raised slogans against the new motor vehicle law and demanded immediate repeal of heavy penalties by the central and state governments. Speaking on the occasion, JAC leaders of Telangana state auto, cab and lorry unions said that if the central government brings anti-labor laws, the state government will not implement them and now the new law is being implemented. They outraged the central government by continuing to raise petrol, diesel and gas prices and introduced a new motor vehicle law to make the lives of transport workers miserable.

They demanded the Central government to immediately reduce the fuel prices and repeal the MV Act. They said that the prices of all essential commodities including fuel have gone up by one hundred per cent and the state government has not increased the auto meter charges in line with the increased prices. Rs 20 to Rs 40 as well as Rs 11 to Rs 25 per kilometer, to issue new auto permits to the unemployed underprivileged sections of the city of Hyderabad for employment, to reduce the unaffordable insurance prices, and a special board for the welfare of auto drivers, they demanded.