NT NETWORK
CURCHOREM
North Goa Truck Owners Association and South Goa Progressive Truck Owners Association on Friday unanimously decided not to install speed governors in their trucks.
The decision was taken during a joint meeting of the two associations held on Friday, informed the president of South Goa Progressive Truck Owners Association Prakash Dessai.
The president of North Goa Truck Owners Association Suresh Dessai, Yeshwant Dessai, Balaji Gauns, Sandip Parab, Kauthanker, Prakash Gauns, Mahesh Gauns and Cajiton Fernandes and Laxman Dessai of South Goa Progressive Truck Owners Association and others were present on the occasion.
During the meeting, the members expressed their deep anguish over the ‘steps being taken by the government against the interests of the truck owners.’
The truckers said that every year there is a hike in the insurance premium, adding the government should take some measures to control this hike.
They said that assurance was given by the Chief Minister of holding a meeting with the truck owners to discuss and finalise the issues, but, till date the meeting could not take place.
They demanded with the government to collect
road tax on a quarterly basis.
Dessai said that vehicle tracking system (VTS) installed on the trucks will have to be recharged on a monthly basis at a fee of Rs 540, which mean a truckers will have to shell out Rs 6,480 a year.
“Presently, Megasoft, which has been awarded the contract by the government of recharging the VTS, has informed the truck owners that the monthly recharging system will be cancelled and the truck owners will have to pay Rs 8,000 a year,” he added
It was decided at the meeting that the VTS recharging will be done only on a monthly basis at the rate of Rs 540. A letter pertaining to this has been submitted to the Directorate of Mines, it was informed.
The associations also demanded that the bypass road from Guddemol to Capxem be constructed before the onset of the mining season.
The associations also opposed the notification issued by the Directorate of Mines regarding the requirement for registration of vehicles and machinery within the lease area for the new mining season.
Dessai said that if the truckers’ demands are not fulfilled by the government then they will not co-operate in the commencement of the mining in the coming season.
