PARADIP: Transporting labourers in goods carriers in clear violation of the Motor Vehicles Act has emerged as a serious concern in Paradip with five vehicles being seized by State Commerce and Transport department on Wednesday, October 6, 2021. In the last 10 days, the department has seized 10 vehicles and imposed a fine of Rs 75,000 on the owners for using goods vehicles for the transport of labourers to work sites in the port town.
Sources said, Paradip Port Trust, IOCL and other companies have pressed construction agencies and contractors who engage labourers for construction work. However, they reportedly have been using goods vehicles like Hyva, pick up vans, tractors and trucks to ferry the workers in violation of safety norms and to reduce expenditure. Around 200 such goods carriers, sources said, are used in a month to ferry workers.
Such breach of safety norms, which puts lives of labourers at risk, are reportedly going on unhindered with transport authorities and district administration watching as mute spectators. Vehicle owners say illegal transport of labourers has even affected their business. The Labour Department should issue a strong directive to construction agencies and employers against the practice, said Ramesh Sethy, an operator.
Traffic Inspector, Regional Transport Office Prasant Mohapatra admitted to the rise in illegal transportation of labourers in goods carriers in Paradip and other areas of the district. “Driving licenses of drivers of seized vehicles have been cancelled for three months for violation of Section 4 of Central Motor Vehicle Act,” he said.