Media has reported today, The Ceylon Private Bus Owners’ Association has requested from government to enact regulations that only those who have received both dose of Covid vaccines should be transported on buses in coming August,
According to the reporters, Private Bus Owners’ Association’s chairman Gemunu Wijeratne had requested the authorities to issue an identity card to identify those who had received both dose of Covid vaccines and allow them to travel between the provinces by buses.
This should not happen. People have the right to use public transportation. Gemunu Wijeratne speaks about those who received both doses. However, he has forgotten that there are nearly 600,000 people in the country who have taken the first dose of the Indian Covishield vaccine, still do not receive the second dose. If so, those people cannot travel on private buses. This is an injustice to the entire passenger population.
They are increasing the bus fares day by day without providing any facilities in the private buses and this is going to make the passenger more distressed.
In the second wave of Covid Gemunu said they needed to revise bus fares to carry passengers according to number of seats in buses. It happened as their wish. But even there were no buses on some routes. Current situation is the same. Meanwhile, Minister Gamini Lokuge had recently given permission to increase bus fares by 20% once again.
We know that it is not the rich people who use public transportation the most.
According to Dr. Samitha Ginige, Director of the Epidemiology Unit, approximately the first dose of the vaccine has been given to about 8.2 million, or about 8 million, and the two doses have now been given to about 1.8 million. Isn’t Gemunu’s demand that more than five million people be evicted?
We inquired about this matter from the Chairman of the Western Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authority, Mr. Prasanna Sanjeewa. He said. People only who have received both vaccines cannot be taken on buses. This is an injustice to the passenger. How many more do not get the second dose? It is not the fault of those people. If the passenger wears a face mask and follows the health instructions, there is nothing for Gemunu to talk beyond that. His decision cannot be implemented.
Shani