Role of drivers highlighted on Drivers’ Day

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 14 : The services of truck drivers were appreciated and highlighted at the 36th Drivers’ Day observation today.
The 36th Drivers’ Day observation held at Manipur Press Club was jointly organised by the Highway Truck Owners’ Organisation, Senapati District Truck Drivers Union, Senapati District Truck Owners Association and All Manipur Gorkha Truck Drivers and Owners Association.
Offering of floral tributes to deceased drivers, presentation of gifts to families of deceased drivers and retired drivers and release of annual journal ‘Lamjelloi’ were the main features of the Drivers’ Day observation.
Drivers' Day is observed every year on January 14 in commemoration of the weeklong protest undertaken by drivers at Old Airfield, Koirengei in January 1990.
Retired IPS officer Potsangbam Sonamani, MDA president Saikhom Babudhon Meitei, public speaker Dr Dhanabir Laishram, former AMWJU president Wangkhemcha Shamjai and Senapati District Truck Owners Association president Daikho Sani attended the function as chief guest, president and guests of honour respectively.
Speaking at the gathering, Potsangbam Sonamani  said that drivers going for their duties in Manipur is like going to battlefields.
He said that the service of drivers can never be overrated. Starting from insurgents, unarmed drivers have been facing all kinds of anti-social elements on both Imphal-Dimapur highway and Imphal-Jiribam highway.
Manipur being a landlocked State, people depend on the commodities brought by truck drivers. But unfortunately, the Government is still unable to provide effective security to the drivers, Sonamani said.
Drivers have been facing all kinds of harassment, torture and some of them have been killed. Moreover, a large number of trucks and other vehicles have been set ablaze on highways, he said.
He said that drivers from Manipur are preferred in all the North Eastern States, particularly Nagaland and Meghalaya.
“When it comes to maintenance or repairing of trucks and keeping them running in case the trucks break down on highways, drivers from Manipur are far better than drivers from other places. This is one thing I learnt during my 50 years of service outside the State,” he said.        
Sonamani also expressed keen desire for the Government to declare January 14 as either a restricted holiday or special holiday.
He also expressed keen desire to deploy adequate security forces along National Highways so that drivers can discharge their duties without any obstacles and fear.
Saikhom Babudhon Meitei said some people might be ridiculing the observation of Drivers’ Day in the midst of the violent crisis as inappropriate.
But it is amidst the protracted crisis that drivers have been discharging their duties and serving the people, he added.
The Drivers’ Day observation is a token strike against harassment, torture  and killing of drivers, and a call to put an end to such atrocities, Babudhon said.