Discussions failed -- strike on -- loss ... already 11 crores!

Discussions failed -- strike on -- loss ... already 11 crores!

Reason for failure of discussion between members of cabinet sub-committee and trade unions failed yesterday and as a consequence the strike is to continue.  Whatever it is the sub-committee has told representatives of trade unions that a special cabinet paper would be presented to
the cabinet today (1) to settle the issue of salary anomalies. 

Department sources report that a loss of approximately 11 crores was incurred as a result of the five-day railway strike. The said loss in fact was due to issuing of season tickets and transportation of fuel coming to a standstill. News sources further elaborates that apart from issuing of season tickets to passengers, other earnings derived by the department in dispatching fuel and goods to areas on a daily basis other than transporting fuel to the airport; transportation of fuel to other locations, reservation of seats, issuing of season tickets and transportation of goods have come to a standstill. 

On a query posed in this connection with regard to the loss faced by railway department because of the five-day strike, what general manager of railway Mr. Dilantha Fernando said was that the railway earns a daily income of Rs. 16 - 17 million and as a result of this strike, that income has been washed away totally. General manager Mr. Dilantha Fernando also said that during the strike-period, though season tickets were not issued, sub-railway stations had been issuing season tickets. 

The department say that a train each has operated their services yesterday (30) from Chilaw, Mahawa, Kandy, Kurunegala, Rambukkana, Veyangoda and Avissawella while two trains were in operation between Colombo and Gampaha. It was planned to operate 9 trains last afternoon (30) from the city of Colombo to outstation areas.