Imphal, April 17: Along with the call for respecting the rights of the rickshaw drivers/pullers and taking up necessary welfare measures for them by the Government, the 9th foundation day of All Manipur Rickshaw Drivers and Pullers' Welfare Association was celebrated at GM Hall here today.

Minister of Social Welfare N Loken and Association president M Kiyamuddin attended foundation day celebration function as chief guest and president respectively.

Chairman of MANIDCO N Mangi, Chairperson of Imphal Municipal Council A Jibanlata, president of United Committee Manipur (UCM) K Langamba, Deputy Labour Commissioner E Tomba, DSP of Imphal West Traffic Police N Manimohan and retired Senior Grade Lecturer H Kula were also present at the occasion as guests of honour.

Giving the key note address of the function, Association secretary AK Kom explained that the Association has been set up with the main objective of working towards ensuring the rights of the rickshaw drivers and pullers who for so long have been neglected and ill-treated by the people even to the extent of blaming them when goods were lost during transit.

In Manipur today, there are over 30,000 rickshaw drivers and pullers who are running their families and sending their children to school for education from the meagre fare charged from the people for hiring their rickshaws.

But the Government has not taken up any welfare for the rick-shaw drivers and pullers.

The Government has not even made arrangement for providing a proper parking space for the rickshaws and a rest house for the drivers, he lamented.

In 1998, the Union Ministry of Labour had sought a report from the State Government and its Labour Department on the living condition of the rickshaw drivers and pullers in Manipur.

However, in its report, the State Government maintained that there is no rickshaw driver or puller in Manipur, thus depriving the rickshaw drivers and pullers of their rights to have a rest house, rickshaw shed and other benefits like medical treatment, AK Kom pointed out.

But today along with setting up of the Association, over 54 parkings have been set up in Manipur under a system and delinquent nature of some of the rickshaw drivers/pullers have been mended, he said, and appealed to the people to note down the registration numbers and the identity cards of the rickshaw drivers or pullers before hiring them.

In his address as chief guest of the function, Minister Loken asked the Association to recommend names of rickshaw drivers and pullers who are eligible for enjoying the benefits under the Old Age Pension and Family Benefit Scheme and assured of doing the needful.

K Langamba pointed out that in order to win the confidence of the people, rickshaw drivers and pullers need to be sincere and perform their duties with dedication.

M Manimohan categorically stated that it is next to impossible for the few traffic police personnel in the State to take up action against all concerned in connection with violation of the traffic rules and norms.

People should also have some civic sense, he added.

H Kula said that there should be no place for drug addicts and other anti-social elements among the rickshaw drivers and pullers.

Otherwise, it would led to many unwanted crimes in the society.

So as to be able to single out such anti-social elements, rickshaw drivers and pullers should start wearing uniform, he mooted.

During the course of the celebration, floral tributes were paid to the departed rickshaw drivers and pullers apart from felicitating 30 rickshaw drivers/pullers who are above 60 years of age and still doing service or have been retired.

Moreover, from the side of the Association, certain amount of money collected from every rickshaw drivers and pullers at the rate of Rs 10 each had been handed over to the family members of the departed rickshaw driver Paikhomba besides honouring the widows of other rickshaw drivers and pullers.

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