Drivers to give up steering
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, August 29 2011:
Transporters in Manipur have asked the state government to extend financial and other assistance to the family of the deceased driver who succumbed to his injury after volunteers of SHDDC attacked him.
The transport union has decided not to ply on national highways of the state if the government fails to honour its demand by
September 2 .
Secretary of AMRTD & MWU, H Kulamini told the media today that the union will stop plying their vehicles on national highways from September 2 if the state government did not extend necessary assistances to the family members of Md Rahaman.
S Manglem, president of the union, said that a memorandum has also been submitted to the Chief Minister by the JAC against the brutal killing of Md Rahaman.
The union is demanding an ex-gratia payment of ' 5 lakh, a suitable government job to the next of kin of the deceased and a total refund of the treatment cost within August 31, 2011 .
If the demand is not met by the government by August 31 the union will be forced to launch an agitation on the national highways of the state, he said and decried the fact that drivers are senselessly attacked for no reason.
H Kulamani, secretary of the union, rued that blockades on national highways have become a bargaining tool by different interest groups in the state and said that the only route, NH53, that could be somehow managed is in a deplorable condition.
For the past 34-35 years the stretch between Jiribam and Imphal has been under the responsibility of the BRTF but it is still painstakingly inaccessible.
He reminded that in 2010 transporters and drivers' council (TDC) contributed various individual amounts for its repair and maintenance.