Cabbies support ngos

SHILLONG, NOV 28: Local taxi drivers under the banner of the East Khasi Hills Local Taxi Welfare Association (EKHLTWA) has decided to support the fourteen pro-ILP groups demanding for implementation of the Inner-Line Permit system to check inflow of illegal influx into the state. The taxi drivers have been directed by the association to attend the public meeting on Saturday called by the ngos in Students Field in Jaiaw on Saturday.

“We have decided to support the pressure groups on their demand to implement the ILP in the state,” association’s general secretary Wandonbok Jyrwa told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.

Jyrwa informed that all the taxis in the district have also been directed to attend the upcoming public meeting.  He said, “We have also issue direction to the taxis not to ply during the hours of the meeting.”

According to Jyrwa, around 4000 taxi drivers are expected to join hands in the public meeting. He said the decision to support the pressure groups is to put the pressure on the state government on the needs for a dialogue with the ngos  to end the impasse because of the nearly three months of agitations .

Jyrwa also said that the association wanted to express its  concern over the admanant attitude of the state government which he said has affected the common man and the state as a whole, he added.

Jyrwa  also informed that the taxi drivers have also been affected by this ongoing stalemate adding that there is tremendous decrease in the inflow of tourists besides local farmers and villagers from rural areas into Shillong.- By Our Reporter