M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Jan 3:Palamu SP Chandan Kumar Sinha and his team on Monday met with the auto drivers of Daltonganj under the community policing where more than 500 auto drivers participated.
The SP in his speech said that he has not come to them with any ‘kanoon ka danda’ but like a brother asking them to have a proper driving license when they drive an auto-rickshaw.
The auto drivers openly spoke about rampant corruption in the transport office citing it as one big helplessness of them to have no driving license so far.
The SP promised them to hold a special camp for the license on January 21. He said it will take Rs. 700 per learner driving license for each of the auto drivers sans license till date.
The SP further promised them that Rs. 200 out of the 700 lawful fee for the learner driving license will be met by the opulent people of the town.
The auto drivers hailed this relief of Rs. 200. They said never in the past they have been made to feel important by the police than now.
The SP also distributed mufflers, gloves and sweets among the auto drivers.
The auto drivers of the station premise were sore that their parking fee has been hiked three-fold. They said earlier they paid Rs.20 for a day. But now the parking fee is Rs. 60 for only three hours.
The SP said that he has been told that a middle fee Rs. 40 rupees as parking has been reached and so they should pay only Rs. 40. He further said that this issue is of the divisional railway manager and he can’t do much in this regard.
The auto drivers were shaken by the officer in charge of the town police station A K Mahatha when this police officer said there are many auto drivers who are doing it just as a cover up of their criminal disposition.
“These people are no auto drivers but criminals disguised as drivers,” Mahatha said.
He asked auto drivers to alienate such elements from their job as they bring a bad name to their hard job.
The SP also asked the auto drivers not to succumb to rangdari tax. “Do not give rangdari. Police will help you,” he said.
Sources said that auto-rickshaw stands are controlled by rough and tough hands and auto drivers just can’t do anything about it.
The auto drivers had a mixed bag. They blamed their own people for their own humiliation mostly at the hands of the police. They also raised accusing fingers at the police which they said use more ‘danda’ on them than on the bikers or ‘car walas’ as they are rich and powerful while auto drivers are poor and voiceless.
SDPO Surjit Kumar made auto drivers feel that their work is in no way inferior to anyone.
The auto drivers said never in the past 20 or 30 years or so any SP had taken pains to sit with them and hear their problems.