Dharamsala: Normal life was affected Thursday
due to a one-day strike call given by private bus and taxi operators in Himachal Pradesh.
The union of taxi operators has called for the strike to
protest the manifold increase in various taxes on transport
vehicles imposed by the state government.
The state government in a recent notification increased
the token tax for taxis from Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,800, the permit
fee from Rs 750 to Rs 2,500, the permission fee from Rs 120 to
Rs 620 and sought to increase the registration fee manifold.
School children and officer goers were the most affected
by the strike as buses and taxis kept off the roads.
The strike also had an impact on tourist station
Dharamsala and surroundings where the tourists and the locals
faced a tough time.
The call for the strike has been given by the All
Himachal Taxi Operators Union (Mahasangh), after holding a
state-level meeting recently, which has been endorsed by
different taxi operators` unions.
If the government doesn`t listen to our demand we shall
go for indefinite strike from March 5, a Union leader said.
PTI
