Date:30/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/30/stories/2008093053650300.htm

Other States - Puducherry

Auto drivers demand petrol at subsidised rate

Special Correspondent

They stage demonstration in Puducherry

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

IN SUPPORT OF THEIR DEMAND: Autorickshaw drivers staging a demonstration in Puducherry on Monday.

PUDUCHERRY: Autorickshaw drivers owing allegiance to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions on Monday staged a demonstration before the Regional Transport Office demanding among other things supply of five litres of petrol to each autorickshaw a day at subsidised rate.

Honorary president of the union T.Murugan said the territorial government should come forward to alleviate the problems of over 5,000 autorickshaw drivers by taking stern action against those who illegally sold adulterated fuel and oil.

The demonstration was also aimed at urging the government to appoint a special officer to ensure that the documents submitted by the auto drivers to the RTO for renewal and transfer of ownership were returned without delay.

They also demanded that the government should convert the auto drivers’ welfare association into a welfare board to ensure that the members were able to avail themselves of benefits such as pension, provident fund, medical facilities and family benefit scheme. Another demand related to issuance of red ration cards and allocation of houses under the housing scheme named after Kamaraj for those auto drivers who did not own a house or who did not have adequate income to pay rent. The government should come forward to re-lay the roads in different parts of the town, as they were in a bad shape, the union said.