AMSU convenes meet to discuss transport issues
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 19 2021: All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) has informed that an open discussion with associations of passenger, school van and school bus service providers will be held at the conference hall of the Union on November 22, regarding the transportation inconveniences faced by students after reopening of schools /colleges including the high fare rates charged by passenger carriers.

Addressing a press meet held at its office on Friday, AMSU vice president Laishram Athouba Meitd said that students are facing transportation related inconveniences including charging of fares by passenger vehicles arbitrarily.

Many are not following the rules of reducing the seat capacity to 50 perce'nt'and changing double the normal fare.

Instead, they are carrying full seat capacity and continuing to charge double the amount.

As such, many students are unable to return to schools/colleges due to all these reasons.

Questioning who will be responsible for checking the'unfair fare rates, Achouba said that the government is largely at fault for the present state of affairs.

While the prices of petrol and diesel stay sky-high, thedepartment concerned failed to issue an order notifying the fare rates to be charged.

Additionally, no authority was assigned to look into the matter, leading to the current situation.

Further questioning why the transport department is staying silent or is in cahoots with the owners of passenger vehicles, school vans and school buses; he remarked that the Department should be abolished if it cannot see the suffering of the people, especially students.

"As such, taking into account of all these issues, AMSU will be holding an open discussion with passenger, school van and school bus service associations at the conference hall of the Union around 1pm on November 22," he informed and appealed to the representatives of all transport associations to attend the discussion.

He further urged for discussing the issues in detail so as to submit a memorandum to the department concerned in this regard.

Questioning what the government and the education department plan to do to help the studentsl from far-away areas who are studying at schools/colleges in Imphal and are unable to return to class, including those studying in schools/colleges without hostel facilities, and without access to passenger service vehicles'; Achouba stressed the need for formulating RR for reopening and operation of hostels to facilitate the students from faraway areas to attend classes at the earliest.

"AMSU has always stood for the student community and will continue to do so in future.

Its doors are open 24 hours to help the students and people of the state," he assured.

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