Haryana denizens will suffer the wrath of Statewide ‘Bandh’ for two days, as the State Government has failed to convince the leaders of different employees’ union from going on strike from November 13 to 14.
Around three lakhs employees in Haryana, under the banner of Karamchari Talmel Committee, are going on strike on November 13. However, around 18 thousand Haryana roadways employees have decided to call a statewide transportation strike the very next day on November 14 to press for their demands. A deadlock has reached, as neither of the party, the employees union and the State Government has refused to buzz, which has made the strike imminent. The employees who are readying themselves to go on strike have refused to call it back till the Government meets their demands.
RR Jowel, Haryana Finance Commissioner refused to make any comments when he was asked about the arrangements made by the State Government eyeing the Statewide strike. But, he said, “We will do whatever is necessary taking into consideration the circumstances that will rise.” Jowel also didn’t rule out the fact that ‘Essential Service Maintenance Act’ might be imposed on the employees.
Sarbat Singh Punia, president of Haryana Roadways Workers Union said that they had an emergency meeting with Aftab Ahmed, the Transport Minister of Haryana on Tuesday. And, during the course of the meeting, the demands of the employees were presented, like the immediate withdrawal of 3,519 permits to the private bus operators under new ‘Stage carriage Scheme 2013. It was after the Transport Minister’s refusal that the meeting remained inconclusive and the employees are to go on strike, he said.
“To protest against this decision, 18 thousand employees will not drive 3650 Haryana Roadways buses across the state for two days”, said Punia. There is extreme shortage of buses with Haryana Roadways for a long time and around ten thousand buses are required to meet the ever increasing demand but the State Government is not ready to purchase new buses. Instead it is allowing private players to enter through the Stage carriage Scheme 2013, which has enraged the serving employees.
As per the information, there are around 3650 Haryana roadways buses in the state and each bus generates around Rs 10,000 per day for the state exchequer. If all the buses will go on strike, the state government will have to bear a loss of crores of rupees in the two days strike. According to sources, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is not in the city. He has left for New-Delhi after the Gohana rally. Under these circumstances, if the unprepared state government invokes ESMA, it may prove fatal for it especially in the upcoming elections.