The district unit of the All Kerala Bus Operators Organisation has appealed to the State government to exempt them from paying the vehicle tax in the wake of the continuing COVID-19 crisis and financial constraints.
At a press conference here on Friday, association leaders pointed out that the last three months’ tax alone would come around ₹36,000 and it would not be possible for many bus operators to bear the huge sum at a time of restricted operations.
K. Radhakrishnan, president of the organisation, said operators resumed the limited services very recently suffering huge operational loss. Though fuel price increased multiple times, there was no proportionate increase in the travel fare, which would again trouble the industry, he claimed.
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Mr. Radhakrishnan also alleged that the State government was cheating bus workers by ignoring the Justice Ramachandran Nair committee report which recommended a 50% hike in travel fare.
The leaders, who put forth a set of demands including an interim relief aid for bus workers, said they would organise a protest in Kozhikode city on July 26.