Dimapur Jan 24 (MExN): The All Nagaland Taxi Association (ANTA) has strongly condemned what it alleged that Police personnel at Chumukedima had forced one of ANTA’s members to pay a fine of Rs 100 without any valid reason, on January 20 at around 4:00 pm.
According to the President of ANTA Vivor Miachie-o, ANTA executives were attending a funeral service of a member at Dimapur when the incident took place. It alleged that the police personnel in a drunken state stopped the vehicle and checked the documents. When the ANTA member disclosed his identity and that he was on official duty he was asked to go. However, a police officer began harassing the taxi driver and forced him to pay a ‘penalty’ of Rs 100, according to Miachie-o.
The ANTA also pointed out that several such cases have been reported from Taxi drivers and owners regarding high-handedness of police personnel mostly at police check points. The association requested the concerned department to take serious note of such ‘penalties’ faced daily by taxis and also appealed to the higher officials to look into the matter at the earliest.
The Association also informed that the seating capacity has also been relaxed and raised from 4+ 1 to 5+1 for light vehicles and from 7+1 to 10+1 for heavier vehicles respectively in a joint meeting of the ANTA and the Regional Transport Authority Board at the Kohima DC’s chamber on November 19, 2005.
It was informed that further decision would be taken at the earliest by the State Transport Authority Board. In regard to this the association stated that no information has been received by the ANTA from the Transport Authority so far and as such there was no point of imposing fines against taxis in regard to seating g capacities.
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