The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Barracks Durga Puja Committee and Barracks Taxi Owners’ Association in a joint Press release on Friday strongly criticised the alleged conspiracy of the Government in leasing out the Old Bus Stand land here, which is in prime locality of the city, to an individual for vested interests.
It may be recalled that the Government faced similar protests from students and general public in the past when it tried to sell the ORT garage to Reliance Company and Gajapati Plaza to another private company at the cost of the public at a cheaper price. The denizens have been observing Durga Puja at the Old Bus Stand since last about 50 years and hundreds of poor taxi drivers have been parking their vehicles there and maintaining their livelihood, said convener of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) Pitabas Panda. He alleged that the BMC and the local MlA have utilised the police to evict the taxi drivers and small shop owners from the Old Bus Stand. The taxi drivers and businessmen were evicted reportedly with an intention to help a private hotel owner for parking vehicles and an individual for putting up a cycle stand at the Old Bus Stand, the Press release alleged.
In spite of the directives of the Supreme Court, the victims who were evicted forcibly from the Old Bus Stand are yet to get the required land in the city to restart their businesses, the trade union leaders said. They demanded cancellation of the proposed lease of the Old Bus Stand land and its use by the taxi drivers and small businessmen for earning their livelihoods. The lease must be cancelled within a month, failing which they would be forced to stage dharna in front of the houses of the local MlA and MP, they threatened. Among others who signed the Press release were S lingaraj Patra (president), Simanchal Pattnaik (secretary) and N Gopal Rao (vice-president).