CANACONA
Accusing Goa of injustice to the Karnataka taximen by demanding Covid negative certificate to enter the State, former Karwar MLA Satish Sail has served a 48-hour ultimatum to the State government to withdraw its decision or face a blockade of essential commodities vehicles entering Goa and all-Goa registration vehicles entering Karnataka via the Polem-Majali border.
On Tuesday evening, around 100 Karnataka taximen led by Sail marched to the Polem border and protested against the State government for its unilateral decision to demand a Covid-19 negative certificate from taxi drivers.
“This is not happening at any other border but at the Polem border check post since the past 10 days. Taximen either mostly headed to Goa Airport, hospitals and railway stations to pick or drop people are being asked to show a Covid-19 negative certificate,” complained Sail, while arguing with PSI Swadesh Dessai who was heading the Polem border check post.
“This is unwarranted as a RT-PCR test has a validity of only 72 hours. There are around 90-100 tourist taxis operating under Saibaba Karwar Taxi Union and many of them are hired by people to go to the Goa airport, hospitals or railway stations in Goa.”
“Passengers carry the Covid-19 negative certificate, but how can a taxi driver be expected to have a RT-PCR test done every 72 hours. Nowhere in the country are there such restrictions to cross state borders, so why should only Goa do so,” asked Sail.
Several taximen complained that the Goa government imposed these rules only on taxi drivers, while exempting drivers and cleaners of milk vans and trucks carrying fish, fruits and vegetables.
“Taxi services are also essential services for people and if such restrictions are imposed on Karnataka taximen, how will people from Karnataka travel to and from the Goa Airport,” asked an agitated taxi driver Santosh Naik.
Another taxi driver Ravi Bandekar claimed that all Goa-registered vehicles are allowed free entry without any restrictions into Karnataka by police at the Majali check post.
After prolonged discussions, Sail later agreed to submit a written request to the Goa government through the Karwar Deputy Commissioner.
He, however, warned that if the Goa government did not withdrawn the restrictions on Karwar taxi drivers within the next two days, he would lead an agitation to stop all vehicles entering/leaving Goa from the Majali check post.
“Selective harassment of Karnataka taxi drivers, who are struggling to survive amid this pandemic will not be accepted. We will have no option but to block the entry of all vehicles presently allowed to enter and leave Karnataka via the Majali border checkpost,” warned Sail.
