Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 17:
Irked with the steep hike in the taxes to be collected by the Imphal Municipal Council (IMC), and contending that it would lead to frequent arguments with the passengers over the fare amount, aggrieved Rickshaw drivers/pullers have resolved to agitate against the Council.
A decision to this effect was taken during a joint meeting at Kekrupat today.
The meeting chaired by president of All Manipur Rickshaw Drivers and Pullers Welfare Association Md Kayamuddin resolved not to pay any kind of taxes to the Council for 20 days if the rate of the tax charged prior to March 31, 2006 is not re-introduced within five days.
The fare rate charged till March 31, 2006 was Rs 84 for registration, Rs 60 for renewal of registration, Rs 45 for issuing driving license, Rs 30 for renewal of driving license, Rs 45 for transferring of rickshaw and Rs 20 for issuing duplicate of driving license.
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After revising these fare rates two times within the month of October last year, the fare rate has been hiked to Rs 150 for registration, Rs 112 for renewal of the registration, Rs 82 for issuing driving license, Rs 52 for renewal of driving license, Rs 82 for transferring of Rickshaw and Rs 37 for issuing duplicate of the driving license.
The meeting attended by around 2000 rickshaw drivers/pullers further agreed to boycott the IMC if it could not meet their demands and to launch various intense agitation along with the support from other social organisations.
Highlighting the demands of the Association, an ultimatum has also been reportedly submitted to the IMC chairperson Jiwanlata today.
Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, general secretary of All Manipur Rickshaw Drivers and Pullers Welfare Association AK Kom informed that the inspite of dubmitting q memorandum with the request of cutting down the fare rate and launching agitation in this connection, the Council has not given any positive response.
He also questioned whether it is in the by-law of the IMC to hike the tax twice within a year or not.
Kom further said although the Association appreciated the notification of the IMC issued on April 2 to the effect of hiking the fare rate to be charged from the passengers, the same would lead to frequent argument with the passengers.
According to the notification, the fare chargeable from the passenger has been increased from Rs 5 to Rs 6 for the first one kilometre and an additional Rs 3 for every additional distance of one kilometre from Rs 4, contract rate for one hour from Rs 60 to 75 and from dawn to sunset from Rs 100 to Rs 150.The notification has also instructed the rickshaw drivers/pullers to write the same on their rickshaws.