Plying Haryana Roadways buses on water?
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Nov 2 — Water has been found in the diesel tank of the petrol station pump owned by the Haryana Roadways here.

Mr Jai Karan Balhara, vice-president, Roadways Karamchari Union, Haryana, has alleged that diesel filled into a tanker at the Indian Oil depot at Rewari on October 25 last was replaced with water on arrival here and emptied into the tank of the petrol station owned by the Haryana Roadways. On verification it was found that the tank with 20,000 litre capacity was filled with water instead of diesel.

The Roadways buses that got 'diesel' from this petrol station on October 25 stopped in between, thereby putting passengers to inconvenience and harassment besides causing loss of lakhs of rupees to the exchequer. It continued on October 26 and October 27 also, he alleged.

He further alleged that records show 1200 litres of diesel in excess. He has demanded a thorough inquiry into this matter.

The post of General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Rohtak has been vacant for the past many months and this is being exploited by corrupt and unscrupulous employees of the department, he said.

Mr Balhara said that the local workshop had virtually become a mortuary due to the use of "duplicate" spare parts at the time of repairs.

The union leader said that 10 acres of land owned by the Faridabad depot of the Haryana Roadways had been encroached upon by anti-social elements. Following orders of a court, the Roadways Department initiated the demolition of structures raised on this land. But the action has been stopped by the Deputy Commissioner, Faridabad, he alleged.

He said that over 350 Roadways employees were getting salary without performing any duty as the government had banned the purchase of new buses in place of condemned ones. The co-operative transport societies have been issued permits at the cost of the Haryana Roadways and now route permits issued to max-cabs have hit these societies as well.

Mr Balhara demanded payment of bonus for the past three years and overtime at revised rates. The drivers recruited on contract basis should be regularised and vacant posts at different levels filled without delay.

He stressed on the removal of anomalies in pay scales, employment to a dependent of a deceased employee and immediate purchase of 2000 new buses.