Student unions cut up with paltry slash in fares

Kathmandu, November 23:

Disgruntled by the meagre slashing of transportation fare, the meeting of six student unions held here today decided to begin struggle against the government’s decision.

The meeting has decided to organise chakka jam in front of Valley colleges on Tuesday, sit-in protest in front of Nepal Oil Corporation on Wednesday and sit-in protest in front of Prime Minister’s residence on Thursday.

Two major student unions - Nepal Students Union and All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union- Revolutionary did not attend the meeting today. According to NSU general secretary Manoj Mani Acharya, the meeting of eight student unions was postponed for Monday morning but NSU would only attend the meeting if the ANNISU-R president Lekhnath Neupane apologises with eight student unions for his comment made at a formal programme recently.

While Neupane claimed that the government did not consult with the students while deciding to slash the transport fare and, therefore, would not be acceptable to the students. He said the eight student unions, during the last

meeting, had agreed to demand dual pricing of kerosene and cooking gas — one for industrial

use and the other for the general public. He also said the meeting had also decided to demand scientific adjustment of the price of petroleum products as per the upheavals in international market.

He commented that the slashing of a minimum amount of transport fares would have no meaning in the short distance routes. Government made a decision yesterday to slash the transportation fare by seven per cent on vehicles running on petrol and six per cent on vehicles running on diesel.