Bus operators strike in U’khand: HC asks govt to file reply in 24 hrs

The private bus operators in Kumaon region are on indefinite strike demanding hike in the passenger fare at par with the fare charged by the buses of Uttarakhand Transport Corporation

Updated on: Jul 30, 2018, 21:32:02 IST

Hindustan Times, Nainital | By Neeraj Santoshi

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The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday asked the state government to submit a reply within 24 hours detailing the steps it has taken to tackle the difficulties being faced by people due to ongoing strike of the private bus operators in the Kumaon region.

The bus operators had met the state transport minister Yashpal Arya on Sunday, who assured them that government will increase passenger fare of private buses by 15 %. (HT File)

A division bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Lok Pal Singh issued the notice while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ramnagar (Nainital district) resident Neeraj Tiwari, who has sought directions to the state government to end the strike, which entered 11th day on Monday, and imposition of essential services maintenance act (ESMA) on the bus operators if they don’t call off their strike.

Dushyant Mainali, counsel of the petitioner, said the PIL highlighted that private buses cater to nearly 90 % of the passenger load in the hilly region. Due to the strike, the state roadways buses were getting overloaded, which could lead to road accidents.

Mainali said that the HC sought reply from the state government by Tuesday on the strike and steps taken to tackle the difficulties being faced by the people.

The private bus operators in Kumaon region are on indefinite strike demanding hike in the passenger fare at par with the fare charged by the buses of Uttarakhand Transport Corporation.

The bus operators had met the state transport minister Yashpal Arya on Sunday, who assured them that government will increase passenger fare of private buses by 15 %. But they were not happy with the assurance and refused to call off the strike. Also, thousands of taxi operators will also go on strike from Tuesday in support of the ongoing agitation by the bus operators.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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