Bus strike in Odisha: Pvt bus owners' association to take call tomorrow

The All Odisha Private Bus Owners' Association will decide whether it will go on strike on July 1 or not on Monday, said association's general secretary Debendra Sahu following a discussion with the State's transport minister today.

Addressing media, Sahu said, "We will decide whether to go on strike or not during the executive meeting scheduled to be held tomorrow. We had a meeting with the State Transport minister today in which our 10-point charter of demands were discussed." 

While the bus owners' association was firm with its demand, the minister asked them not to stage a protest from July 1 owing to Ratha Yatra. The minister even assured to discuss the matter after CM Naveen Patnaik returns from his foreign trip.

The matter, as discussed with the minister, will be further discussed at a working committee meeting on Monday. 

The final decision on the strike will be taken after the discussion with the working committee. However, General Secretary informed that they haven't called off the strike.

It is pertinent to mention here that the association had threatened to go on strike over protesting the non-fulfilment of their long-pending demands. 

The primary demands of the association include allowing to transfer of the permits to a third party as and when required and allowing to run the sleeper coaches in the day time.