The public transport services across Haryana would be affected on Wednesday as roadways employees will go on a day-long strike to protest against the State Government’s decision to allow private buses to ply within and from the state.
Even as Haryana Government had on August 30 invoked the Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) for six months barring the employees to go on the proposed strike, the roadways unions are set to hold day-long strike on Wednesday.
Haryana Government and state roadways employees’ unions have been at loggerheads over the issue of hiring of over 700 private buses by the State Transport Department.
In view of the employees’ strike, the authorities have also imposed Section 144 of the code of criminal procedure at some places in the state prohibiting assembly of more than four people.
According to the roadways union leaders, the government buses have started to go off roads in some depots across the state on Tuesday evening. At several depots, including Karnal and Sirsa, the roadways workers held protest demonstrations and raised slogans against the government.
Haryana Roadways Employees Union president Dalbir Kirmara said, “The State Government is adamant on its stand to introduce more than 700 private buses on various routes, being opposed by the roadways employees. We were open for talks with the State Government to reach a consensus so that public is not put to inconvenience due to the strike.”
“However, the government remained defiant and even invoked the ESMA. Now, we have no choice but to proceed on strike,” he said.
“We have urged the State Government to buy its own buses and assured them of better facilities to the commuters. However, they refused to listen to us and stuck to their stand,” he added.
As per the Transport Department, about 33 lakh people use the state transport facility daily whereas the state roadways has been providing services to around 12.5 lakh people.
On the other hand, Transport Minister Krishan lal Panwar while talking to the mediapersons in Jind on Tuesday said that necessary action under the provisions of the ESMA will be taken if the employees defy it and go on strike.
He also termed the move of roadways employees to go on strike as “unjustified”.
The Minister also clarified that there is no privatization of state roadways and the government will hire 720 private buses to facilitate the general public.
During the last one year, the government employees have gone on strike on a few occasions in support of their various demands.
Earlier on August 7, commuters were inconvenienced when Haryana roadways’ employees had taken part in a nationwide strike for the amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act.
Around 4000 buses of Haryana roadways had remained off the roads on that day and the passengers were forced to pay higher fares on private buses and taxis to reach their destinations.
Hry issues positing order of one IAS and 2 HCS in Transport Dept.
To deal with the strike of roadways employees, Haryana Government on Tuesday issued transfer and posting orders of one IAS and two HCS officers, with immediate effect.
Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Personnel, Training, Vigilance and Parliamentary Affairs Departments, has been given additional charge of Transport Commissioner and Secretary, Transport Department, relieving Vikas Gupta of the said charge, proceeded on leave or training.
HCS Narhari Singh Banger, Additional Managing Director, HSIIDC has been given additional charge of Director General, State Transport Haryana and Special Secretary, Transport department while Jaideep Kumar, Secretary, Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, has been given additional charge of Additional Transport Commissioner.
Opposition lashes out at Hry Government
Ashok Arora, Haryana INlD’s chief on Tuesday held the State Government responsible for the strike of roadways employees.
Arora said that it was due to the State Government that the roadways are running in losses. The government is now privatizing the roadways.
The roadways employees are against the privatization and have a right to voice their concerns. The government should not have imposed ESMA to ban the strike and hold talks with the employees, he added.
Hisar INlD MP Dushyant Chautala also criticized the government for not resolving the problems of roadways employees and going ahead with the decision of hiring private buses.
Chautala also alleged that the BJP government in Haryana wanted to give permits to some private companies of Gujarat, which is why it is bent upon privatising the state roadways.
On the other hand, Haryana ClP leader Kiran Choudhry said that the party will raise the issues of government employees during the upcoming monsoon session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha. The government should address the grievances of roadways employees, she demanded.