Common citizen to face difficulty for transport due to ’bundh’ Sept 2

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 2, 2015 :  It is expected that transport may be hit due to the nationwide bundh called for today - Sept 2.  Travelrs  in Dakshina Kannada district, may have to face hardship for transport facilities. Although the Dakshina Kannada District Private Bus Owners’ Association has not called for buses to stay off road, the Association president Nelson Pereira has said that the services would be affected if drivers and conductors failed to turn up.

Our drivers and conductors are members of different labour organisations. As a majority of the unions - except Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) - is supporting the stir, there is every chance of bus movement to be poor.  Transportation facilities in the district are largely dependent on private buses. The Federation of Private Bus Operators of Karnataka President Rajavarma Ballal said that being  helpless if  employees fail to work. At the same time, if miscreants pelt stones at the buses, we will incur loss. The chances of buses plying on the roads are poor.

KSRTC Staff and Workers Union Mangaluru Division - affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) - has directed its members to participate in the strike.

A release from the organisation general secretary Praveen Kumar said that the strike would be against anti-labour, anti-farmer and pro-corporate policies of the Central government. The proposed Road Transport and Safety bill would be against the welfare of transport corporations. Other major demands of the organisation are controlling of price rise, unemployment, stopping contract system, giving a fixed salary to contract workers and withdrawal of the Road Transport and Safety bill, among others, said the release.

KSRTC Mangaluru Division Controller I V Hegde said that decision to run the buses will be taken after assessing the situation in the morning. It also depends on how many staff  work. The night bus services, however, will not be affected by the strike.   The DYFI Dakshina Kannada unit too has extended its support to the nationwide strike. Organisation district secretary Santhosh Bajal said that the strike will be held to urge employment for youth and to fill vacant posts in public sector offices. He called upon students and general public to raise voice and extend their support to the strike.

Auto rickshaw services too are likely to be affected in the region.

Some of the demands of the labour organisations include a control of price rise, minimum wage of Rs 15,000 a month, no violation of labour laws, no contract labour and outsourcing and pension for all.

Deputy director of the Department of Public Instruction Walter D’Mello said that officially no holiday has been declared for schools. The teachers and students will be affected without the bus services. The schools will remain open, if the schoolchildren come to the school.

Dasara sports meet postponed  : The Mangaluru taluk-level Dasara sports meet, scheduled to be held on Sept 2, is postponed due to the nation-wide strike. The sports meet will instead be held on September 7 at Mangala Stadium.

The Mangaluru taluk-level rural sports meet will be held Sept 3, Thursday, according to information from department of Youth Empowerment and Sports.