Transporters pushed to starvation, waive off arears to BPL, antyodaya consumers : MP Masoodi tells JK Government

Srinagar/June, 6: National Conference Member Parliament Justice (Retd) Hasnain.Masoodi on Saturday alleged that transporters are being pushed to the wall and demanded waiver of power tariff to BPL and antyodaya consumers.
In a statement issued here on Saturday Masoodi accused the Jammu and Kashmir Government of gross negligence towards starvation like situation faced by the transporters and their families. He said that the transport industry in general and the passenger transport operators in particular already crippled by post August shutdown, have been worst hit by over two month long Covid-19 lockdown . Masoodi demanded a comprehensive rehabilitation package for transport industry and passenger transport operators in particular including interest waiver on the loans extended by the financial institutions to the transporters August 2019 onwards and a reasonable amount on monthly basis to compensate the loss of income to those who suffered due to the lockdown and mechanical breakdown.
Masoodi questioned the wisdom of the government over the order issued by it for opening the offices while continuing with ban on the movement of public transport within the city and on inter district routes. He asked the Government to take notice of immense difficulties faced by the employees in reporting to the offices with the public transport off the roads. He insisted on a holistic view of all the aspects while taking a major decision like opening of the offices and restoration of commercial activities. He demanded that the entire electricity arrears and the current charges in case of BPL and Antyodaya consumers be waived and in case of rest of the consumers the arrears be directed to be recovered in at least six monthly instalments. He has reminded the Administration that 80% of the electricity arrears are recoverable from the govt offices, public undertakings, central governments offices and big industrial houses and asked the administration of taking steps to make the recoveries from the big defaulters without taking coercive measures against the downtrodden and disempowered segments of the society who are under tremendous economic stress because of loss of the unemployment triggered by the continuing lockdown. He said that if Delhi government and some other state governments can provide electricity upto 200 units free of cost to the poorest of poor there is no reason for the Jammu and Kashmir Government not to give similar relief to the deprived and disempowered families below poverty line and at end of the queue.