Goa invokes ESMA, prohibits proposed taxi strike tomorrow

The Goa government today invoked the Goa Essential Services Maintenance Act against taxi operators who have decided on go on strike tomorrow.
"The Government of Goa in exercise of the powers conferred upon it by sub section (1) of Section 3 of the Goa Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1988 (Goa Act 20 of 1989) and being satisfied that in the public interest it is necessary, has prohibited strike in any form in all transport services for the carriage of passengers or goods by land or water in the state of Goa with immediate effect," read the notification issued by the government today.

However, taxi operators said that they would go ahead with the strike as they had given a notice to the government a fortnight ago, as mandated by provisions of ESMA.
"We had informed the state government in advance. There is no way that we would be withdrawing our strike. It would be peaceful," Vinayak Nanoskar, General Secretary of the North Goa Taxi Owners Association, said.
Unions leaders said that 18,000 taxis would be off the roads tomorrow in protest against several state government decisions including a law making speed governors mandatory on their vehicles.
The agitators will assemble at Azad Maidan in Panaji tomorrow after keeping their vehicles off the road, they added.

State chief minister Manohar Parrikar yesterday warned taxi operators against violence during the strike and said those indulging in violence could lose their licences.
The state government has arranged for around 1,000 private vehicles to tide over the strike, a senior transport official said.
Goa Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Nilesh Cabral has said the state government might think of introducing mobile app-based cab services if taxi operators continued harassing people by resorting to strikes.