Autorickshaw's strike call off
Transport Minister K.N. Nehru (left) consoling the family members of Kannan, an autorickshaw driver, who attempted self-immolation, at Ramakrishna Hospital in Coimbatore on Saturday.Minister for Rural Industries Pongalur N. Palanisamy is in the picture. (Right) Autorickshaw drivers staging a road blockade on Avarampalayam road following the self-immolation bid by the auto driver at Ukkadam on Friday.The joint struggle committee of the autorickshaw trade unions announced that the strike by the autorickshaw drivers had been called off at 6 p.m., following talks with Transport Minister, K.N. Nehru, here on Saturday. Mr. Nehru, after talks with the auto workers trade union representatives, announced that the enforcement of the new fare structure would remain suspended for three months.He also ordered constitution of a committee comprising District Revenue Officer, police officials, Corporation Commissioner, Regional Transport Officers and representatives from consumer organisations, for considering all the demands including higher fare and assured that the decision of the committee would be implemented.Mr.Nehru also visited the hospital to see the self-immolation bid victim G. Kannan and consoled the family members, besides assuring all required assistance.Following the self-immolation attempt at Ukkadam on Friday evening protesting against implementation of the new “low” fare structure, auto rickshaws kept off the roads since Friday night.
Some of the trade union leaders clarified that it was not a strike but was only a mark of respect to the auto driver.The agitating auto drivers who assembled near the Ramakrishna Hospital at Avarampalayam (where the victim was getting medical aid), turned restive, damaging a couple of shops. There were also incidents of damage to call taxis, assault on a call taxi driver and photographer Sivagurunathan of Dinamalar, a Tamil daily. Based on a complaint, the city police have registered a case.Even as the hospital area remained tense, resulting in closure of shops and diversion of traffic, another auto driver PMP Selvam (40) of Anna Tozhirsangha Peravai attempted immolation near the Collectorate, demanding upward revision of the new fare structure and the release of another driver owing affiliation to Hindu Makkal Katchi arrested on charges of immolation bid two days ago.
Earlier, the Minister along with the Minister for Rural Industries, Pongalur N. Palanisamy, Transport Commissioner, C.P. Singh, Collector Neeraj Mittal and Police Commissioner, C.K. Gandhirajan held a meeting with the trade union leaders to know the demands of the auto rickshaw unions.The trade union representatives from CITU, ATP, AITUC, BMS, LPF, MLF, HMK and DMLF and a host of other unions took part. The President of the All Trade Unions Joint Struggle Committee, P.K. Sugumaran said that a minimum fare of Rs. 14 and Rs. 6 per additional kilometre was not viable in a small city like Coimbatore and demanded a minimum fare of Rs. 20 and Rs. 10 per additional kilometre, citing the economics involved in plying auto rickshaws. He said that rising fuel costs, spare parts prices, wear and tear, insurance premium rates and entry of new modes of transport such as share auto rickshaws, call taxis and mini-buses had endangered the survival of 10,000 families living on plying auto rickshaws.
Since 1996, the fuel prices have gone up on 38 occasions ever since 1996. The City has 7,500 auto rickshaws with meters in three different structures.He sought regularisation of auto stands besides time for the auto rickshaw owners and drivers to either recalibrate their meters to the new fare structure or to go in for new electronic digital meters and new auto rickshaws.He sought financial assistance in the form of subsidy from the auto rickshaw workers’ welfare board. Mr.Sugumaran also wanted the Government to foot the hospital bill for the self-immolation bid victim, besides financial assistance to his family.
Minister gave an assurance that all possible assistance would be extended.The other trade union representatives wanted all the cases for immolation bid and non-compliance to new fare structure be withdrawn.Responding to another plea, the Minister said that the Government had already stopped issuing permits for share auto-rickshaws and would regulate the functioning of call taxis within the next few weeks to ensure mutual co-existence.Waiver in green tax and steps to control the increasing insurance premium rates and permission for taking eight school children in an auto rickshaw also formed part of the demands.
