National
Goa tourist taxi strike to continue on Saturday
Panaji, Jan 19 (IANS) Even as tourists faced hardships at major transit points in Goa, the tourist taxi drivers in the state on Friday extended their day-long strike by one more day.
Even though the state government declined to accede to the demands of the striking cabbies, two Goa ministers joining the protesting taxi operators in solidarity put more pressure on the government.
Nearly 3,000-odd taxis stayed off the roads in Goa from early Friday morning. As a result, the tourists alighting or travelling to the Dabolim International Airport and various bus and railway stations in the state faced tremendous hardship.
“Now private vehicles are charging more than taxis. For a distance of 30km, we have paid as much as Rs 3,000 for a ride to the airport,” said Ankush Jain, a tourist, who was travelling back to Delhi after a brief holiday in Goa.
The one-day strike, which will continue through Saturday, has been called by tourist taxi associations in North Goa and South Goa districts, protesting the implementation of speed governors on tourist taxis and harassment by Transport Department and police officials.
Speaking to reporters, North Goa Tourist Taxi Association President Vinayak Nanoskar said that strike would continue on Saturday because the government had failed to five any assurance to them.
“We have no concrete assurance from the government of Goa. We have no option but to continue the strike,” Nanoskar said, after more than 1,000 taxi drivers staged a protest meet at the Azad Maidan in the state capital.
Two Ministers in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition government — Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai and Rural Development Minister Jayesh Salgaonkar — and opposition leader Chandrakant Kavlekar also expressed solidarity with the striking taxi operators.
“We have to think about tourists…we can have alternative facilities. But taxi owners who are striking are our own people. We should talk to them and resolve issues. I am in agreement with demands with taxi owners,” Sardesai told reporters.
Even as the district administration in North Goa imposed Section 144 to deter the striking taxi operators, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that some of the demands made by the taxi operators, like scrapping of speed governors, were unrealistic, because the decision to outfit taxis with speed governors was based on a direction by the Supreme Court of India.
“Speed governor is a law, I can’t change it. No fitness certificate will be issued (to taxis) if there is no speed governor after February 24,” Parrikar said.
The Chief Minister also said that he would not “go after” the striking taxi drivers and that the Essential Services and Maintenance Act (ESMA) was invoked only to deter the striking cabbies from indulging in violence.
“ESMA was invoked so that some one does not do anything untoward and if I need, I can force some of them to ply. That is a power, but that does not mean I will use it. That power can be used against those who violate law and those who go for violence. But, it doesn’t mean that I am going to go after them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Goa Tourism Development Corporation Chairman and BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral said the Corporation was mulling starting an app-based taxi service, which would work as an umbrella service or cab operator.
–IANS
maya/nir/dg
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
Cheers and Cheers: Barzilla’s Joyful Ode to Inclusivity and Celebration
Casino Days Reveal Internal Data on Most Popular Smartphones
Meghalaya Reserves Legalized Gambling and Sports Betting for Tourists
IPL 20202 UPDATE: KXIP vs MI IPL Dream11 Team Prediction for Today Match, Update Point Table of all Team.
In a Live debate AAP leader Syed Asad Abbas hurls abuses to BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
‘India’s Most Wanted’ trailer out Arjun Kapoor on hunt of Osama-Bin-Laden
Time to move on: Sonakshi on Shatrughan’s joining Congress
