Driver who played by the rules now jobless

Sibnath Das is the sole breadwinner for a family of five. He owns a two-stroke auto-rickshaw and accepted the High Court8217;s order of switching to clean fuel.

Sibnath Das is the sole breadwinner for a family of five. He owns a two-stroke auto-rickshaw and accepted the High Court8217;s order of switching to clean fuel. Having full faith in the state government8217;s auto replacement package, he filed an application for the same and surrendered his vehicle, but more than a month has passed and he is yet to hear anything on it.

Now he is in a dilemma. In spite of fully adhering to the court8217;s and government8217;s decision, he has been rendered jobless because of government8217;s lackadaisical attitude. One month8217;s patient wait, and several trips to the RTA office have proved futile. His hand-to-mouth existence does not allow him to sit idle and now he is forced to drive his vehicle, with the constant fear of facing police action.

8220;I have studied till Class X. My father used to do small jobs and after he stopped working, I had to get a job. After trying for several years I could not get a job and decided to buy an auto,8221; says Das, a resident of Kankurgachi area. In 2004, he bought the two-stroke vehicle by mortgaging his wife8217;s jewellary. The vehicle had cost him about Rs 80,000 then and initially started plying on the Phoolbagan-Ganesh Talkies route and later switched to the Beliaghta-R G Kar route. Das earns about Rs 3,000 a month after driving the auto for over nine hours everyday. He has to support his wife, parents and son, who is in Class V.

On November 27, Das submitted his application to the RTA secretary in Beltala. Last week, when he visited the Motor Vehicles office he was told to come back after January 6 and with the quotations from the Bajaj showroom in Taratala.

8220;After the Motor Vehicles department passes my form, it will go to the bank and then to Bajaj Company. I have no idea how much time it will take. What am I supposed to do till then?8221; says Das.

8220;We have a hand-to-mouth existence. If we do not ply the vehicle for one day, we suffer a loss of Rs 100. For the past two days I have not taken out my auto. But I can8217;t continue like this.8221;

Seeing his fate, many auto owners of the area are losing hope. 8220;It has been over a month now and there is no sign of his new vehicle. Did the government not think about processing the applications fast so that people who have abided by the order do not have to suffer ?8221; asks Balaram Basak.