Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said that the State government cannot ignore its responsibility in protecting the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).
Inaugurating the 41st State conference on Kerala State Transport Drivers’ Union here on Friday, Mr. Chandy called for dealing with the present crisis in a realistic manner, by taking the employees into confidence. “The company had passed through several hardships in the past, including when the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government was in power. However, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government sought to steer itself clear of the company, instead of working to turn around its fortunes,” he said.
Mr. Chandy lashed out at the government decision to “celebrate” the disbursal of the pension dues of the KSRTC. He added that the government must boldly implement policies that would reap rich dividends in the long term. “When the UDF government implemented the contributory pension scheme, the opposition had opposed the decision and vowed to reverse the system when it returned to power. The LDF government has clearly realised its benefits in the long haul and has decided against scrapping the system,” Mr. Chandy said.
Presiding over the function, Kerala State Transport Drivers’ Union president K. Muraleedharan, MLA, said that the battle waged by drivers in the public transport sector was unending. “Very often, the drivers are blamed for the adversities faced by the KSRTC. Their problems and the lack of basic amenities at depots were largely neglected. Besides, the Motor Vehicles Department and the Kerala Police often hold KSRTC drivers responsible for several violations of road safety rules, even while the drivers of private buses are given a long rope,” he alleged.
