VASCO
This is because, an acute shortage of service transport vehicles has caused severe hardship to the PWD (water section) labourers.
What is more unusual is that a tempo from Ponda, which was hired as service vehicle, has been lying idle in front of the PWD (water section) office at Baina since the last 20 days.
In the absence of service transport vehicles, labourers have to use their two-wheelers and carry tools along with them. Those who don’t own two-wheelers are forced to go triple seat on two-wheelers, only to get caught and penalised by the traffic police.
Speaking to The Goan on condition of anonymity, the labourers said the department doesn’t have its own vehicles in Vasco, due to which vehicles are hired as service transport. “The hired vehicles have also stopped providing service, due to which we face a lot of hardship to reach the affected area,” complained a labourer.
“We have to use our personal two-wheelers and carry all the tools, which makes riding two-wheelers difficult. Sometimes due to an emergency, we are forced to go triple seat on two-wheelers, only to get caught by the traffic police. We then pay the fine and go ahead to carry out our duty.” “We know that this is a violation of traffic rules, but we are left with no option to go and repair the fault, failing which the people march to the office and create a ruckus,” the labourer added.
Another labourer informed that since the last 20 days, a vehicle which used to ferry the labourers to the affected area has been lying idle in front of the office.
