Transport operators to stage protest as last resort to protect syndicate
As the government has taken a strong stance against the syndicate system in the public transport sector, transport entrepreneurs are planning to stage a stern protest as their last ditch effort to continue with their illegal syndication.
Demanding the removal of the new transport management regulation, introduced recently by the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), the transport entrepreneurs have decided to stage protests, said Saroj Sitaula, general-secretary of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE).
He, however, did not disclose the protest programmes to be organised by the public transport operators.
“A meeting of all the public transport operators held on Sunday decided to launch a protest against the government’s move to introduce the new regulation without consulting the transport operators. To inform all about the protest programme, we are organising a press meet on Wednesday,” he said.
As per the information leaked by some transport entrepreneurs about the planned protest of transport entrepreneurs, all public transportation services will be brought to a halt on May 3, and an indefinite transportation strike will be called from May 9 onwards.
Earlier, the transport entrepreneurs had tried to obstruct the movement of the buses of Mayur Yatayat on the Araniko Highway, stating that they were given route permit without consulting the various committees of the transport entrepreneurs operating bus services on the route.
Demanding the removal of the new transport management regulation, introduced recently by the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), the transport entrepreneurs have decided to stage protests, said Saroj Sitaula, general-secretary of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE).
He, however, did not disclose the protest programmes to be organised by the public transport operators.
“A meeting of all the public transport operators held on Sunday decided to launch a protest against the government’s move to introduce the new regulation without consulting the transport operators. To inform all about the protest programme, we are organising a press meet on Wednesday,” he said.
As per the information leaked by some transport entrepreneurs about the planned protest of transport entrepreneurs, all public transportation services will be brought to a halt on May 3, and an indefinite transportation strike will be called from May 9 onwards.
Earlier, the transport entrepreneurs had tried to obstruct the movement of the buses of Mayur Yatayat on the Araniko Highway, stating that they were given route permit without consulting the various committees of the transport entrepreneurs operating bus services on the route.
But the bus entrepreneurs’ move proved counter-productive as the authorities provided route permit to several other bus operators on the Dhulikhel and Panauti routes following the failed attempt to call a strike on the route.
The locals of Bhaktapur and Kavre strongly opposed the strike of the pro-syndicate transport entrepreneurs, and the DoTM got an opportunity to introduce a new regulation to control the syndicate of the entrepreneurs.
The DoTM has provisioned to register the public transportation committee under the Company Act.
Till now, the transportation committees are registered with the District Development Committees as non-profit organisations.
The government is also making plans not to renew the public transportation committees from the next fiscal year.
Tulsi Ram Aryal, spokesperson of the DoTM, said that the operators of public vehicles had no moral ground to organise any type of protest against the new regulation introduced by the government.
“We still believe that the transport entrepreneurs will not resort to any type of protest programme by raising unethical demands for maintaining their monopoly in the public transportation sector,” he said.
“Transport entrepreneurs have been told about the laws that prohibit the closure of any essential service, such as the public transport service. I think they will not choose such suicidal alternatives,” he said.
“If they stick to their plan, the government will be compelled to take action against them and make necessary arrangements in the public transportation services,” he added.
He said that transport operators did not have any other option but to come under the company act as their business was profit-oriented.
Once they register under the company act, the transport entrepreneurs will come under the income tax net of the government. And the entrepreneurs’ new move to call a strike against the new regulation is intended to evade the government’s decision to introduce taxes on the public transport sector.
Source:The Rising Nepal
The DoTM has provisioned to register the public transportation committee under the Company Act.
Till now, the transportation committees are registered with the District Development Committees as non-profit organisations.
The government is also making plans not to renew the public transportation committees from the next fiscal year.
Tulsi Ram Aryal, spokesperson of the DoTM, said that the operators of public vehicles had no moral ground to organise any type of protest against the new regulation introduced by the government.
“We still believe that the transport entrepreneurs will not resort to any type of protest programme by raising unethical demands for maintaining their monopoly in the public transportation sector,” he said.
“Transport entrepreneurs have been told about the laws that prohibit the closure of any essential service, such as the public transport service. I think they will not choose such suicidal alternatives,” he said.
“If they stick to their plan, the government will be compelled to take action against them and make necessary arrangements in the public transportation services,” he added.
He said that transport operators did not have any other option but to come under the company act as their business was profit-oriented.
Once they register under the company act, the transport entrepreneurs will come under the income tax net of the government. And the entrepreneurs’ new move to call a strike against the new regulation is intended to evade the government’s decision to introduce taxes on the public transport sector.
Source:The Rising Nepal
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