Give more powers to Lokayukta to punish corrupt: Transport operators

Bangalore, Jan 11(UNI) Fed up over 'rampant corruption' in police and transport departments, the Federation of Southern States Goods Vehicle Owners Associations today urged the Karnataka Governor to give more powers to Lokayukta to deal directly with the corrupt officials.

In a memorandum the Federation said it was time that corruption, which was rampant in police and transport departments, had put the goods vehicle transport sector in great hardship as harassment seemed unending.

"We request you to give additional powers to Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde and his officials to deal sternly with the corrupt officials. The Lokayukta should be given power to suspend the corrupt officials and take action as per the law," the memorandum, which was submitted today, said.

The Federation also sent a separate memorandum to the Union Secretary of Finance to provide the full details of the taxes and other cesses paid by the goods transport sector and the facilities the government had provided to them.

"We hereby request the Union Finance Secretary to provide us all the details under Right to Information Act. Our Sector pay 32 types of tax and cess but are denied proper basic infrastructure," Federation General Secretary N Ramachandran said in the second memorandum.

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