Various speakers at a day-long fast here on Wednesday urged the State government to immediately absorb all the 1.05 lakh employees (drivers, conductors and technicians) attached to the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation as government servants.

Except drivers, conductors and technicians, all other staffs/officers were benefitted monetarily, especially after the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations, said general secretary of Marumalarchi Labour Front S. Doraisamy.

He further said that under the pretext of saving diesel, the TNSTC officers forced the drivers to ensure that they consumed fuel in a productive manner. When the manufacturer of the buses claimed a mileage of 4.5 km per litre, the TNSTC authorities wanted to achieve 5/6 km per litre. Mr. Doraisamy said that for reasons not known 380 new buses remained idle for over two months. Public money was wasted, he said and urged the government to operate them immediately.

Taking a dig at the government, Marumalarchi Labour Front’s State secretary Mahaboob John said that the unannounced and frequent power shutdowns not only resulted in lay-offs in industries but put children studying for public examinations to untold hardships. He urged the government to improve the power generation and distribution.

MDMK Madurai urban district secretary Pudur K. Boominathan, and TNSTC MLF office-bearers participated in the fast held in front of the TNSTC office.