PANJIM: Private bus owners in Goa Monday demanded that the 50 per cent concession granted to students should be reviewed with certain riders, to curb its misuse. The bus owners, who will be striking from April 12, with indefinite fasting before Director of Transport?s office in the city, have said that several bogus Identity Cards have crippling their ticket collections.
"We have found that many youths carry bogus Identity cards claiming themselves as students availing the 50 per cent concession in the ticket rates," Sudip Tamankar, General secretary, All Goa Bus Owners Association (AGBOA) told reporters here.
But Tamankar has not commented anything on as to why they are not issuing tickets to the passengers without somebody asking for the same. Can Tamankar shed some light on this was asked by one student Vijay travelling from bus stand to Panjim Market.
He said that the scheme should be reviewed and concession should be granted only on school routes and during day time. "Either state government should stamp those identity cards or AGBOA should be given the right to certify them as genuine," Tamankar said.
The Goa government allowed 50 per cent concession in ticket to students in 1978 after massive agitation by the students union in the state.
Tamankar said they had also taken up the issue with the State Education department but of no avail. He said the bus owners have no issues in giving concession to genuine students on school or college routes but the misuse of the scheme should be banned.
GBOA has decided to hold indefinite hunger strike in the city from tomorrow, which will convert into a major agitation from April 15 onwards when they will pull out their buses from the routes. The hunger strike will continue along with the bus strike, he added.
I remember 1978 where we won the rights of 50% reduction for students where Judge Desmond D’Costa was our student leader at the time. Wounds may heal but scars remain it was a bloody agitation. We were viciously lathi charged by the police. The hired Gangs of Bus Operators dragged and took us to remote areas humiliated and viciously assaulted us to stop the agitation, as they were loosing revenue. Today in Goa the same trend is carried out by the thugs (henchmen)of corrupt politicians .
ReplyDeleteThis reduction was for students and not to be abused by others. If there is any credible law in Goa the offenders must be charged and heavily fined regardless who they are.
Bogus ration cards are being issued to Ghantis to be vote banks by politicians. Although it is wrong why shouldn’t Goans take advantage of it.
ReplyDeleteBogus ID cards are making it difficult for our honest children to travel on the buses. The law must be applied and criminals punished, by giving them a criminal record for life.
ReplyDelete