Puducherry: The Joint Action Committee of autorickshaw owners and drivers' unions will stage a road roko at Pattanikadai junction in the heart of Puducherry on Thursday to mark their participation in the nation-wide strike called by trade unions to push their 16 point charter of demands. Autorickshaws will keep off road on that day.

Convener of Autorickshaw Owners' Union Manivannan and general secretary of the CITU-led Drivers' Union G. Srinivasan told newsmen here on Tuesday that autorickshaws transporting children to and fro schools would also be off road on Thursday.

The autorickshaw owners and drivers' demands included conversion of the Welfare Society constituted for the benefit of workers in the unorganised sector into a Welfare Board and all benefits of welfare schemes meant for the workers should also be extended to auto workers.

Protection demanded

The union leaders alleged that there had been intimidation of autorickshaw drivers by anti-social elements whenever the vehicles were engaged in most of the parking slots. Whenever police intercepted the vehicles on suspicion that the passengers might carry lethal weapons, they were also booking cases against autorickshaw drivers, although they could not know whether passengers were possessing weapons.

Welcoming steps taken by the Transport and Police authorities in arresting the officials allegedly involved in the recent "spurious RC books" scam for sale of stolen vehicles, the Joint action Committee, however, wanted the Government to post sufficient staff in the Transport department.

Fuel prices

The Union leaders also wanted cut in prices of fuel, as they could not bear the cost vis-a-vis their earnings and other expenditure to maintain their vehicles.

The union leaders said that auto owners were prepared to use metres in the vehicles. But the authorities had not taken any follow-up action in spite of all representations.

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