The Hindu : Sheila warns parties siding with auto drivers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 18, 2002

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Sheila warns parties siding with auto drivers

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI DEC. 17. The Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, today condemned alleged attempts by certain parties to give a political colour to the ongoing agitation by the Capital's autorickshaw operators. Sounding a warning, she said they would have to face public wrath for siding with those who have been exploiting and blackmailing the common man for years.

Charging that this was a clear attempt to mislead the autorickshaw operators into taking to violent means, the Chief Minister said the reported attempt by Shiv Sena to jump into the agitation and side with a handful of vehicle operators was not the right approach. She felt that it was purely a public issue and the Delhi Government would never give up on its stand to get a fair deal for the commuting public. Stating that the Government held one view on how to deal with the strike, the Chief Minister said that if some BJP leaders felt that the Government was wrong on the issue, they should openly come out in support of those who are fleecing the public.

Ms. Dikshit said it was unfortunate that a handful of elements who were opposed to any settlement or plying of autorickshaws were trying to create a scare among those who were willing to ply their vehicles by threatening to adopt violent means. The Government has been sympathetic to the demands of the autorickshaw drivers but this time it will not compromise on the interests of the commuters who are not only harassed but also have to face misbehaviour and overcharging. The Government has gone out of the way to settle some of the major grievances of these operators in a time bound manner but still some elements are trying to disrupt everything maybe at the instance of certain political people or party.

The Chief Minister said the Government had already published a point-to-point rate chart with the help of the People's Action Group, an NGO and intended to go ahead with the same vigour in giving the commuters the best possible service.

The Delhi Government had asked Eicher to prepare a point-to-point km fare chart for the commuters which will be made available to the public very soon. Stating that the autorickshaw drivers would continue to face the crackdown by authorities till they give up their practice of fleecing passengers, Ms. Dikshit said the autorickshaw owners have to learn to respect the law and the consumer. They will not be allowed to get away with the exploitation of the commuters which had been going on in the past.

The Chief Minister said the Government was also studying various aspects of autorickshaw operations in the Capital in order to find a permanent solution to this problem and officials in the Transport Department had been asked to look at the scenario from various levels to put an end to the malpractices both among the autorickshaw operators and in the Transport Department. The Transport Minister, Ajay Maken, said that the exercise for installation of electronic meters in all the 45,000 autorickshaws would be completed by January 31 as per directions of the court. At present, nearly 28,000 electronic meters had been installed.

Mr. Maken said the Government was firm in its resolve to deal with the errant autorickshaw drivers and continue to impound those vehicles which are working without an electronic meter. The three member Fare Committee would be submitting its report next week but the Delhi Cabinet will only consider it after the strike is withdrawn. "This time the Chief Minister has decided that the autorickshaw unions would have to give in writing that they will ply with electronic meters and not indulge in over-charging.

This undertaking would be published in the media so as to make these operators not only morally bound but also accountable to the public,'' he added.

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