SRINAGAR: National Conference senior leader and Member Parliament Anantnag Hasnain Masoodi Saturday accused the J&K administration of gross negligence towards transporters who have been badly hit by the corona lockdown.
In a statement, Masoodi said the transport industry in general and passenger transport in particular, already crippled by the post-August shutdown, has been adversely affected by over two-month-long administrative lockdown ordered to combat COVID19 crisis.
Masoodi demanded a comprehensive rehabilitation package for the transport industry and passenger transport in particular including interest waiver on the loans extended by the financial institutions to the transporters August 2019 onwards and a reasonable amount on monthly basis to compensate the loss of income suffered due to the lockdown and on account of a mechanical breakdown.
Masoodi questioned the wisdom of the Administration to order the opening of the offices while continuing with ban on the moment of public transport within the city and to the districts.
He asked the Administration to take notice of the immense difficulties faced by the employees in reporting to the offices with the public transport off the road. He has insisted on a holistic view of all the aspects while taking a major decision like the opening of the offices and restoration of commercial activities.
Stating the recently announced amnesty scheme for the electricity consumers was inadequate, he demanded that the entire electricity arrears and the current charges in case of BPL and Antyodaya consumers be waived off and in case of rest of the consumers the arrears be directed to be recovered in at least six monthly installments.
He reminded the administration that 80% of the electricity arrears were recoverable from the government offices, public undertakings, central governments offices and big industrial houses.
He said the administration instead of taking steps to make the recoveries from the big defaulters should not use coercive measures against the downtrodden and disempowered segments of the society who are under tremendous economic stress.
He said if Delhi government and some other state governments can provide electricity up to 200 units free of cost to the poorest of poor there was no reason for J&K administration not to give similar relief to the deprived and disempowered families below the poverty line and at end of the queue.
