People’s Pulse, a collective of former bureaucrats, government employees and entrepreneurs had drawn the authorities attention to several issues that required re-dressal, ranging from strict enforcement of helmet rule, truant auto rickshaw drivers, street dog menace, extortion by load men and hike in taxes by local bodies.
In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy, the civil society organisation pointed out that though the Government had revised the auto rickshaw fares only after consultation with the trade unions, majority of the drivers continued to fleece the public and plied their vehicles without meters. The government must ensure that the auto rickshaw drivers did not pose problems to the commuters by collecting fares as per their whims and fancies.
Harassment by load men
The harassment by load men for loading and unloading of goods in residential areas had also assumed alarming proportions. Though the Government had notified the Puducherry Loading and Unloading (Regulation of Employment and Welfare Act, 2017), the load men claimed that they had the right to load and unload goods and extort money from public without even carrying out the work.
On the traffic scenario, the citizens group said that a number of youth who failed to wear helmets were killed in road accidents in the city They wanted the government to strictly enforce the helmet rule in the interest of safety of motorists.
Stray dog menace
People’s Pulse also pointed out to the stray dog menace and said their numbers had increased to alarming proportions in several parts of the city. The deaths due to dog bites had exceeded dengue and other vector borne diseases. The civic bodies should initiate concrete measures immediately to control the stray dogs.
The citizens also pointed out that the recent hike in property tax, water tax, electricity tax had increased the burden on the citizens. The government should make use of the Advisory Council attached to municipal bodies and its decision on revising taxes should be immediately implemented.
The other demands included constitution of Puducherry Public Services Commission to ensure employment to local youth in Group A and B posts, collection of tax arrears from petrol bunks and distillery owners and expedite the proposal for laying new Railway line from Chennai to Cuddalore via Puducherry.
