Winger service stopped protesting extortion

IMPHAL, Mar 3 MNS/NNN : The North East Inter-State Winger Service Transport Union’s indefinite halting of its service has begun since last midnight along the Imphal-Dimapur road. The transport union said owing to the ‘unacceptable monetary demands’ to the union by various militant groups and non-implementation of the agreement reached among the union, Owners’ Union […]

IMPHAL, Mar 3 MNS/NNN : The North East Inter-State Winger Service Transport Union’s indefinite halting of its service has begun since last midnight along the Imphal-Dimapur road. The transport union said owing to the ‘unacceptable monetary demands’ to the union by various militant groups and non-implementation of the agreement reached among the union, Owners’ Union and the Counter Association has prompted the transporters to resort to the agitation. Speaking to reporters today in Imphal, the transporters’ union president M Tomba Singh said the agitation has been called not against any organisation “but we want that those groups decrease the amount of the demands.” Spelling out numerous taxes and fees including police check posts, toll taxes, excise, transporters unions and other taxes, M Tomba Singh said to and fro from Imphal to Dimapur, around Rs 1600 has been spent by a single transporter besides monthly fees to the Dimapur Municipality Council and Bus Union, Dimapur. M Tomba said that a single passenger has been charged Rs 600 from Imphal to Dimapur of which 50% each has been shared by the transporters and the counters. “After all these payments, we are left with a meagre amount which hard for us to maintain the vehicles and our families,” rues the president of the Winger transporters’ body. M. Tomba said, besides demand of UG groups, the concerned person of vehicles which were proceeding towards Dimapur expended Rs. 740 for police checkpost, Narcotics, forest and excise. While proceeding for Imphal, Rs. 750 is spent. Meanwhile, other demands of the inter-state Winger transporters union are to establish a Highway Protection Force jointly by the Centre, the governments of Manipur and Nagaland; to construct a place at Dimapur where passengers and the transporters can come and have food or relieve themselves. The union also demanded that similar place should also be constructed at North AOC, Imphal.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/winger-service-stopped-protesting-extortion/