Talks with Govt failed: Auto stir from Wednesday

Hyderabad, Nov 23 (INN): Auto-rickshaws will be off the city roads from Wednesday after talks between the auto drivers' unions and the government failed on Tuesday. The strike call is backed by trade unions like AITUC, CITU, IFTU among others. As many as 15 union leaders, coming under the banner of auto Parirakshana Porata Committee, who met Minister for Transport Shatrucharla Vijayarama Rao at the Secretariat on Tuesday submitted their charter of demands and sought government sanction.

The talks lasted over two hours. The main demand of the auto unions was to increase the meter charges per km. That was the contentious issue and the talks revolved around it for a long time. Later, the union leaders told media persons that the government postponed its decision and failed to evolve a solution. The union leaders quoted the Minister as saying that Chief Minister K Rosaiah would take a decision on the issue and sought more time to resolution.

They also made it clear that they would intensify their agitation further if the government did not concede to their demands. Meanwhile, the state government has decided to gear up to meet the situation arising out of the auto strike tomorrow.

Informing this, Mr Vijayarama Rao said that the government will press into service more RTC buses from the district depots. The buses would be brought here to meet the demand for convenience of the public. The minister clarified that he sought more time for discussing the issue with the Chief Minister, who is away in New Delhi.

The auto unions however stuck to their stand, said the Minister. Their other demands are for exemption of green tax on LPG vehicles, parking space allotment, permission for autos to move in the GHMC area with registrations, among others. Asked whether the toll free phone number for the public to lodge complaints against the errant auto drivers is in effect, the Minister has informed that the police was taking action against the erring autos when informed.

Speaking separately, another outfit Autodrivers' Ikyacharna Samithi with BMS, TNTUC, TTUC and TATU, postponed their strike after taking into account the assurance from the Minister. They however made it plain that their strike would be effective from December 8, if the state government did not concede to their demands. The government has also assured them that auto finance would be provided under a separate 'Ordinance'. The majority auto drivers' union leaders Mohd Amanullah Khan of the TADJAC, B Venkatesam of AITUC, V Kiran of IFTU, Eswariah of CITU, SKB Jamal of the GHADU, MA Saleem of TCAOA, Mohd Dastagir of the TCADU, J Ravinder Kumar of the APAMU, Dasari Ramesh of AADU and other auto drivers' union leaders also spoke.