| Friday , February 13 , 2015 |
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150213/jsp/frontpage/story_3142.jsp#.VN1Kd-aUeSo
Go forth and refuse |
| Our Bureau |
The dilution of rules in the run-up to civic polls and on the eve of two byelections has not only undone one of the few firm decisions the Trinamul government has taken but also thrown commuters to the mercy of cabbies. Refusal to allow the transport segment to levy realistic fares had already played havoc with the commute system in the city and forced cabbies to devise ways to refuse passengers. The chief minister's announcements today removed the pretence, too. The fine for taxi refusal will now be Rs 100 - a sharp fall from Rs 3,000. "I do not like to punish or impose penalty. Ami bhalobasha diye kaaj korate chai (I like to get work done through love and affection)," the chief minister told a "welfare meet-together" organised by the labour and transport departments. The audience was largely made up of drivers of taxis and autorickshaws. "I think the Rs 3,000 fine is a bit too much. I am withdrawing it. From now on, the fine will be Rs 100 for the first refusal, Rs 200 for the second refusal, Rs 300 for the third and Rs 500 for the fourth one. For the fifth refusal and above, the penalty will be Rs 1,000," Mamata said.  Mamata mooted a monitoring committee that will be headed by minister Subrata Mukherjee and include ministers Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, the chief secretary, the police commissioner and some other senior officials. It is not clear what the committee will monitor; the chief minister said it would enlighten ("alokpat") us. But ministers Hakim and Biswas have been tasked to play arbiters in disputes between police and cabbies. "Co-operate with the police. In case they say something, don't quarrel. If they behave badly, take the complaint to.... Bobbyda, Aroopda.... They will see," Mamata said. The announcements were seen as telltale signs of nervousness within the Trinamul leadership. When the going was easier than now, Mamata had allowed the government to crack the whip to enforce rules in transport, which has been characterised by arbitrariness and chaos since the Left rule. She had also dug her heels in when faced with protests. Between August and December 2014, the Left unions had called seven taxi strikes, including an "indefinite" one in September, but the government did not budge. Today, she took a partial U-turn, embracing all the easy options instead of trying to find a middle path. The cabbies have been demanding higher fares to offer better services - not an unjust demand, considering the abject conditions in which they work. Mamata herself spoke of their plight today: "Taxi and autorickshaw drivers work very hard through the day. They leave home early in the morning and try to earn their living working very hard. They are a part of the same society as we are and we have some responsibilities towards them." Nobody disputes this but there has been a general aversion to let transport services increase fares. Although fuel prices have come down of late, there has been no professional analysis yet to find the right rate that makes taxis viable. But a higher user charge - for any facility - is an absolute no-no in Mamata's political vocabulary, even though there is little evidence that consumers are unwilling to pay more if improved and dependable services are offered. Against this background and in the face of setbacks on multiple fronts, Mamata has opted for convenience. "The chief minister has tried to please both the taxi unions and the commuters. She has not increased the fares, keeping in mind the commuters. She has tried to please the taxi drivers by slashing the refusal fine," said an official. But he expressed the fear that "taxi drivers have received immunity after the withdrawal of the (Rs 3,000) fine". "The decision is not about logic, it is about political gain," said a Trinamul insider. A bus operator, who has played a prominent role in negotiations with the government, said the chief minister offered the concessions with the sole purpose of regaining ground lost in the transport sector. According to him, private transport operators and employees - including buses, minibuses and taxis - total around 2 lakh. If autos are added, the number goes up to over 3 lakh. Factoring in families and those indirectly employed by the sector, the number will be in excess of 12 lakh. Out of the total electorate of around 20 lakh in the CMC area, 12 lakh - even if a big chunk lives beyond the corporation area - is a sizeable chunk. "In the election season every vote counts and Didi will not leave any stone unturned to ensure the votes.... Because of the absence of Madanda (transport minister Madan Mitra who is in jail over the Saradha scandal) and stern action taken against drivers, the members of Trinamul-led transport unions were shifting their allegiance to either Citu or Aituc," said a Trinamul minister. Citu and Aituc have been hitting the streets in support of the transport workers. "All the stern measures might have been announced by Madanda but all of them were cleared by the chief minister. By withdrawing them, she is also trying to distance herself from the decisions," said a Trinamul insider. What about harried taxi riders? Taxi passengers are still not counted as the core Trinamul constituency. They are bracketed among the "urban voters", of whom a large section is perceived to have turned against Trinamul because of the Saradha scandal. "For her, people working in the taxi sector are more important than those who use them," said a Trinamul leader. "Besides, she can always claim she did not increase fares - something that has universal appeal." Mamata's cost-benefit assessment was borne out by the silence of other political parties. Few parties have stood up for commuters yet, probably realising that the price of a backlash from unionised transport workers will be far steeper than taxi riders who have never rallied themselves as a captive vote bank. PACKAGE Sops the chief minister announced for taxi, auto and ‘Matador’ drivers Rs 25,000 each for the marriage of up to two children. A five-year gap must between the two weddings Pension of Rs 1,500 a month after turning 60 Rs 30,000 a year for “small ailments like fever and fractured arm” |
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