CANACONA
Reacting to threats by agitating taxi operators from Karwar to stop Goa-bound and Goa vehicles at the Polem-Majali border, Dy Speaker and Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes said the State government cannot dishonour high court directives, but added that the government could be lenient on the Karwar taximen who bring passengers into the State.
Fernandes has, however, warned that attempts to stop vehicles at the border would be dealt by law enforcement authorities across the border.
About 100 Karwar taxi operators from the Saibaba Karwar Taxi Union led by former Karwar MLA Satish Sail protested at the Polem border on Tuesday and criticised the State government for insisting on a Covid-19 negative certificate from taxi drivers who mostly head to Goa Airport, hospitals and railway stations to pick or drop people.
They complained that such restrictions were not applicable to drivers and cleaners of milk vans and trucks carrying fish, fruits and vegetables into Goa.
They have served an 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.
“The State government is only following the high court directives regarding entry of people into the State following a surge in Covid-19 cases during the second wave,” said Fernandes.
“However, it would also be fair if the government takes a lenient approach and considers the concerns raised by the Karwar taximen, but it should be with the approval of the court,”
“For instance, if a taxi driver takes a patient to a hospital in Goa, he should be allowed without insisting on a Covid negative certificate, since the taxi driver is performing an essential service and will return to Karwar after dropping off the patient and the family.”
Responding to the threat by the Karwar taximen to stop Goa vehicles at the border, Fernandes warned the taximen that they would face action for their “unreasonable behaviour”.
“In case if anyone attempts to stop Goa-bound and Goa vehicles at the border, such unreasonable behaviour will be dealt by law enforcing authorities across the border,” said Fernandes.
Asked to comment on how taluka authorities would respond if the Karwar taximen went ahead with their threat and stopped Goa-bound and Goa vehicles at the Polem-Majali border, Canacona Deputy Collector Udhay Prabhudesai said he was yet to receive a representation of the Karwar taximen, which had been submitted to authorities in Karwar.
“We have not received any representation officially from the Karwar administration so far and hence, we cannot comment in the matter," Prabhudesai said.
