The Telangana High Court on Monday urged the state government and striking workers of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) to end the impasse, and asked the state to meet the demands of the protesters.
Additional Advocate General Ramachandra Rao informed the court that the committee of executive directors of the TSRTC, in its report submitted to the government, stated that Rs 46.2 crore are required for 16 out of 21 demands of the employees but the TSRTC is not in a position to bear the expenditure. He said the government can't provide required funds for meeting these demands.
The court took exception to his remarks and wanted to know why the government can't give even Rs 47 crore to resolve the problem.
“Paying Rs 47 crore to RTC should not be a problem, given that the state is taking up projects worth thousands of crores of rupees. Tell us by Tuesday whether state is ready to pay this,” the Bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A Abhishek Reddy, was quoted as saying.
The court also questioned the state government on failing to control the spread of dengue this season, and said that it was the common public who were suffering as a result.
“What prevents the State from being generous to pay what is required to rescue RTC for the time being? State should have concern for the plight of people in the state. Dengue menace is haunting the state, If a child has to be transferred from Adilabad to Warangal hospital or Mahabubnagar to Hyderabad for better treatment, people cannot afford ambulances," Chief Justice Chahuan told Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ramchander Rao, who was representing the TSRTC.
Following this, the HC asked for the state government's stand on disbursing Rs 47 crore. As Advocate General B S Prasad Rao sought time to file a response, the court granted him a day’s time and posted the case to Tuesday for further hearing.
The division bench headed by Chief Justice R.S. Chauhan suggested that if the demand for the TSRTC's merger with the government is not set aside, the deadlock will continue and people will continue to suffer. It observed that the demand of merger is the main hurdle but on other demands, there is only a difference of opinion.
Counsel of the striking employees submitted to the court that the TSRTC was in losses because the government and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) have not reimbursed the amount to the tune of Rs 4,967 crore. The judges wanted to know if this is true and asked the government to inform about the same on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, another employee of the TSRTC killed herself on Monday; the fourth such death, since the strike began 24 days ago.