Haryana Roadways staff extend strike till Friday

CHANDIGARH :The Haryana Roadways Employees on Wednesday announced the extension of their strike by another two days, even as the state government ordered termination of at least 200 protesters.

During a meeting of joint action committee in Kaithal, the transport employees decided to prolong their strike, said Roadways Workers Union leader Sarbat Singh Punia, adding that if the government order for introduction of 700 private buses was not cancelled and cases against the employees registered during the strike were not taken back, then the stir period would be further extended.

Defying the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), the roadways employees had begun their strike on Tuesday, compromising the public transportation system in the state.

The government has decided to make immediate appointment of 930 conductors and 500 drivers. “It has been decided that drivers, who are on probation but participated in the strike, would be suspended without show-cause notice. Similarly, 252 contract drivers, who took part in the strike, would be removed from services from today (Wednesday),” read a government statement read.

Additional chief secretary, transport department, Dhanpat Singh has urged the roadways unions to resume duties, saying the strike was affecting the state exchequer and inconveniencing the people.

Justifying the decision to introduce 700 buses, he told reporters here that 12 lakh people in the state travel daily on state roadways buses and to cater to the growing population Haryana Roadways needed 15,000 buses, but at present, it has a fleet of only 4,100.

He claimed that addition of private buses, which would be plied on kilometre-basis, would not affect the employees of roadways in any manner.

DEFYING THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES MAINTENANCE ACT, THE ROADWAYS EMPLOYEES HAD BEGUN STRIKE ON TUESDAY