RTC deadline ends

Hyderabad: The deadline set by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to the striking TSRTC employees to join their duties ended on Tuesday midnight.

While authorities maintained that as per the official statement made by the Chief Minister, the workers who did not report to the duties will be considered as suspended from the services, the unrelenting TSRTC JAC prevailed upon the employees not to succumb to government's threats and continue the stir until their demands are met.

According to official figures, not more than 300 workers out of the total 48,000, joined the duties on a call given by KCR on Saturday. The RTC officials said the government will not consider the plea to resume the duties by the workers if they approach in future.

"The striking workers are given an opportunity to save their jobs from self-dismissal, but they are unyielding," the authorities said, adding that some workers, who submitted joining letters, went back and joined the strike.

The RTC management has made all arrangements to ensure bus services are not affected due to the strike, which entered 32nd day on Tuesday.

The RTC has already hired required number of drivers and conductors on a temporary basis and all the depots were provided enough manpower to tackle any eventuality in the coming days. The proposal to privatize all the RTC routes will be discussed in the meeting convened by the Chief Minister on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, JAC convener Ashwathama Reddy said the government has no power to take a policy decision to privatise the RTC without seeking an opinion from the Centre, which holds 31 per cent share in the Corporation.

Whatever the decisions taken with regard to the Corporation by the state government should also be approved by the RTC Board, he added.

"As per 1950 Act, the Centre has 31 per cent share in the Corporation. Under section 39/1, the state government needs to take the permission of the Centre to make changes and under section 39/2 even for the closure of the RTC, both the State and the Central governments should jointly take a decision," Reddy said.

The JAC convener exhorted the workers to stand by the RTC unions' struggle, exuding confidence that they will succeed in achieving the demands.

The poor response to KCR's call to join duties is a clear indication that the workers are fighting for their rights.

The temporary staff are also fighting the government on the delay in the release of daily wages.

He reiterated that the JAC is ready to give up some demands if the government invited them for talks.