School vans, buses, taxis to suspend service
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 20 2011: Denouncing the new fuel oil distribution mechanism brought out by the Government under which limited quantity of diesel is given to passenger carriers for three days, all passenger carriers of the State have decided to suspend their daily service with effect from November 22 .

Following suit, the All Manipur School Students' Transporters Association has also decided to suspend school van service from November 23 in case the Government cannot make a special arrangement to provide adequate quantity fuel oils to school vans by November 22 .

Speaking to reporters this afternoon, secretary of the All Manipur Bus Owners' Association, A Priyokumar said that they will stay off the roads until diesel is available regularly and abundantly in the State.

On the other hand, the new mechanism brought out by the CAF&PD Department under which registration certificates, Smart Cards and licences have been made mandatory for filling limited quantity fuel oils came into effect from today.

As per the new mechanism, 15 litres of diesel would be given to commercial vehicles for three days, 40 litres to passenger buses, 25 litres to local trucks and 20 litres to Tata Magic vans.

However passenger buses require 50 to 90 litres of diesel in a day according to the distance of their routes.

The quantity of diesel allotted to passenger buses under the new mechanism for three days is short of one day's requirement.

The Government's mechanism imply that the bus owners/transporters must buy diesel required for the next two days from black markets, Priyokumar remarked.

Such ad-hoc and absurd measures of the Government have been breeding severe difficulties for passenger carriers.

Until and unless the Government makes necessary arrangements to make diesel available in adequate quantity regularly, passenger carriers would stay off the roads with effect from November 22 .

A resolution to this effect was adopted in a joint meeting of transport organisations today, he stated.

For the difficulties that would be faced by the general public on account of suspension of transport service, the State Government should bear sole responsibility, Priyokumar asserted.

He also appealed to the public to cooperate with them during the agitation.

The press meet was also participated by representatives of the All Manipur Transport Cooperative Society.

On the other hand, a press release issued by the All Manipur School Students' Transporter Association said that 10 litres of petrol allotted to school vans under the new mechanism cannot last three days.

On the average, school vans require 5 to 8 litres of petrol on daily basis.

Moreover, most of the schools have scheduled their annual examinations in December with some commencing from the last week of November.

This would compel the vans to make extra trips everyday which would require additional quantity of petrol.

It also appealed to all education-related organisations and parents/guardians to bear with the inconveniences.

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