Govt.-JAC talks break down

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, NOV. 2. The RTC strike is to continue as negotiations broke down on Friday, the 19th day of the indefinite strike of the JAC. The JAC leaders came to the Secretariat to meet the Cabinet Sub-Committee and management representatives, waited for more than an hour and left a one-line message to the Government: ``Your offer is unacceptable.'' They declared that the strike would be intensified.

The Sub-Committee members just said `fine' and went back to the Chief Minister only to emerge later to inform the presspersons that there could be no further improvement in its offer.

``It is up to the workers to decide the fate of APSRTC now. Think about your leaders and their attitudes. Are they seeking a solution or something else? Whose interests are involved in prolonging this agitation? Is it someone else who is guiding the trade unions in this matter,'' they said.

The Ministers, Mr. T. Devender Goud and Mr. B. V. Mohan Reddy, declared at a press conference, ``what we offered amounted to Rs. 350 to Rs. 1,500 benefit per employee per month depending upon his seniority. The RTC is in losses. Still we made this offer of Rs.100 crores doubling the fitment benefit from Rs. 60 to Rs. 120. They just walked out leaving that simple message.''

``And in that five minutes they took to enter and leave, they wanted to decide the fate of 1.25 lakh employees, the APSRTC and one crore commuters that the corporation carries every day,'' they said.

The Government was left with no option but to explore the possibilities of inviting operators from neighbouring States to bring in their buses, they said. Senior officials were being deputed to other States to contact the operators.

Asked whether the alleged privatisation had already begun with the Government deciding to open up the routes to private operators rather than amicably settling the issue, they said:

``We want to mitigate the problems of people. People are suffering. We cannot give the JAC as much as it asks as the corporation is in losses. We cannot even hike the fares. They are already the highest in the country. We cannot give up our social obligations. We shall do our best.''

``We assured them repeatedly that the Government had no intention of privatisation. We are willing to give a written assurance to this effect too. What else do they expect us to do ? As for the tax structure, we agree there are anomalies. Rationalisation is needed. We agreed to form a committee and decide on the structure in two months. We shall also ensure drive against illegal operations,'' they said.

Increasing the occupancy ratio by even one per cent meant an additional income of Rs. 40 crores out of which Rs. 10 crores would be offered to workers as incentive.

One of the main reasons for the losses was the falling occupancy ratio, they reminded the workers.

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