Team Goemkarponn
COLLEM: The jeep operators who are members of the Dudhsagar Tour Operators Association have begun a chain hunger strike at Collem market today morning as they are unhappy that the authorities having not complied with their demand to close the Goa Tourism Development Corporation booth in Collem.
After their Friday meeting with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant failed to produce a solution that would have benefited them, the jeep drivers made the decision. Since the GTDC counter is still open, the jeep operators have chosen to begin a chain hunger strike on Saturday.
Association president Nilesh Velip said as the government is not ready to accept their demands, nine members have gone on hunger strike from today morning. They have o sat utside the office on in protest against the government and other jeep operators too will join, said Velip.
He said that they are firm over their demand and won’t start the operations until the government meets their demands.
The operators are demanding that the GTDC’s counter in Collem area should be removed and the booking website of the association, which has been taken over by GTDC, should be given back to the association.
Operators are calling on the government to discontinue the GTDC’s involvement in the Dudhsagar jeep ride industry, claiming that a scam involving around Rs 8 crore was perpetrated at the GTDC counter in Collem for online reservations.
Even the BJP members from the Sanvordem constituency met with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to try to break the impasse between the Dudhsagar jeep operators and the GTDC.
During the meeting, Sawant gave them “a compromise formula,” promising the jeep operators that the GTDC would lower the Dudhsagar trip rates by Rs 100.
The decision to not begin the season until the GTDC-opened counter is closed is held by the jeep operators. The jeep operators have been firm about their demands despite the chief minister holding several talks with them.
On Friday night, however, a few jeep drivers expressed their intention to begin the tourist season by transporting visitors to the Dudhsagar waterfalls on Saturday. There could perhaps be a conflict amongst the jeep operators if some attempt to begin the season.
Meanwhile, The jeep service to Dudhsagar Waterfall began on Saturday amidst dissent from some jeep owners, including Nilesh Velip, President of the Dudhsagar Tour Operators’ Association.
