Scrap GO on swiping machines, auto drivers demand, hold rally

Eluru: Hundreds of auto workers took out a silent procession demanding the government to cancel the GO No.894 that could ruin their livelihood.

Workers belonging to Eluru’s auto workers union that is affiliated with AITUC carried out a huge procession in the city here on Saturday before reaching the Collectorate. The auto workers staged a dharna at the Collectorate demanding the government to cancel the issued GO. As per the issued GO, auto workers have to get swiping machines installed without fail, pointed out the auto workers. Besides, the new GO imposes a daily fine of Rs.50 (totaling Rs.18,000 per year) on auto drivers for their failure to get fitness certificates in time. They used to pay annually Rs.550 for obtaining the fitness certificate.

In the face of newly issued GO 894, , the auto workers are left with no alternative but to stop plying autos, decried AITUC’s district committee general secretary Konala Bhimarao. He demanded the Government to withdraw the GO immediately.

CPI district Secretary Dega Prabhakar said that the government was neglecting the welfare of workers and brought in a GO that could affect the livelihood of auto workers. TUC’s city committee general secretary K Krishnamacharyulu said that the government has directed the auto workers to install swiping machines in all autos.

It is not correct to make the new rule applicable to small workers, criticised Krishnamacharyulu. Autoworkers’s union president A Venkannababu, secretary M Satyanarayana, AITUC leader Band Venkateswara Rao, CITU district committee secretary DNVD Prasad, INTUC leader Rajanala Rammohan Rao and others also addressed the dharna. Bharati Subrahmanyam, Chairman of the auto workers’ union presided over the protest dharna. Earlier, auto workers’ union leaders garlanded the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar at old bus stand and rallied to the Collectorate.