Shillong, Sept 1: Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong expressed his sympathy towards the drivers and owners of tourist taxis and buses who have not received payment for doing COVID 19 duty, and assured them that the state government would soon clear their dues.
Tynsong gave this assurance after a delegation of the Meghalaya Travelers & Transporters Welfare Association (MTTWA) met him and aired the grievances of owners and drivers of the tourist taxis and buses due to the delay by the state government to relese their dues, though they have been doing COVID-19 duties in the past five months.
“I am sorry to know that the tourist taxi and bus owners and drivers are facing the problems. We are taking up this matter and very soon all outstanding dues will be cleared by the state government,†Tynsong said.
MTTWA secretary Aldin Kharshandi informed that the government has not released a single paise to over 110 tourist taxis and 69 buses requisitioned by the transport department to do COVID-19 duties in the past five months.
He said that as there was no agreement or fixed charges for doing the duty, the drivers are not aware of the amount they are supposed to get per day.
He said that as the owners have not received any amount from the government, it was difficult for them too to pay heir drivers.
Though the Deputy chief minister has assured to take up the matter and clear the pending dues, Kharshandi however alleged that the Deputy chief minister has not given any clear answer on this.
The MTTWA submitted a memorandum to Tynsong and alleged that while dropping passengers to Tura, the drivers were not provided with the basic needs like food and water especially during this pandemic where they need to keep their immunity strong.
The association also alleged that there was lack of medical facilities besides lack of proper health checkup, and there was no proper sanitization of vehicles requisitioned by the government for COVID duty.