February 27, 2014
TEAM HERALD
CALANGUTE: Even as the tourist taxi strike was called off on Wednesday, youth from Calangute, Candolim, Nerul, Arpora, Parra and surrounding areas have expressed fears that if the government stops private rent-a-car for self drives in Goa then they will be rendered jobless.
Hundreds of local youth on Wednesday evening gathered at the St Alex Church parking lot at Calangute upon hearing the news of government accepting the demands of the North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association to stop private rent-a-car for self drives in Goa.
The youth opined that they have been in the trade for many years and survive on the business though it has been termed as ‘illegal’. The decision of the government to stop their business could leave them jobless.
“We have been doing business of renting private cars for years together which has been going on smoothly. However, the government’s decision to stop the private rent-a car service could leave us jobless and starving,” said a youth involved in private taxi business.
“We have invested lakhs of rupees to purchase cars due to growing demand of tourists, but if it is stopped then what are we supposed to do? We have no alternate business nor do we have a job to feed our families. The private taxi rent-a-car business should have been stopped in the initial years in 2002, the time it picked up but now it is too late,” said the youth.
“We would have not invested to purchase more cars if the government would stop the private taxi renting service. We are ready to make a reasonable payment to regularize the business but stopping the business could render thousands of Goans jobless,” added the youth.
Another private owner said: “Tourists prefer to take a private car for self drives rather than hire a taxi for a day. We don’t feel anything wrong in that and our business has been going on with the help and support of taxi owners and drivers. We first need to talk to our taxi owners and impress upon them to continue the private self-drive service in Goa.”
“I invested lakhs of rupees by purchasing new cars and other vehicles, but if the government decides to stop the business, then I will go broke and bankers will take away all my cars,” added a local.
The youth have decided to approach Calangute MLA Michael Lobo to place their genuine problem for an amicable solution.
Hundreds of local youth gathered at the St Alex Church parking lot at Calangute upon hearing the news of govt accepting the demands of NGTTOA to stop private rent-a-car for self drives in Goa.The youth opined that they have been in the trade for many years and survive on the business though it has been termed as ‘illegal’
http://heraldgoa.in/News/Local%20News/Pvt-rent-a-car-operators-fear-loss-of-livelihood/85883.html
No comments:
Post a Comment