2 liters a day is not enough, going on a death fast on Tuesday - Three-wheeler Chairman

The National Taxi App Three-wheeler Professionals' Union states that the amount of fuel provided to three-wheeler drivers through the fuel quota system introduced by the government, due to disruptions to shipping caused by the Middle East war situation, is absolutely insufficient for them to sustain their livelihoods. Its president, Mr. Jesmin Lanka, points out that while the government's quota decision to prevent the wealthy from hoarding fuel in barrels is appreciated, the 15-liter weekly limit given to professional drivers has plunged them into a severe economic crisis.

A three-wheeler operating using passenger transport apps like PickMe, Uber, and Helago requires eight to ten liters of fuel daily. Under the new quota system, only approximately two liters are received per day, allowing for a maximum travel distance of about 50 kilometers. Since only about 30 kilometers of this can be used for passenger transport, a driver's daily income drops to 2100 rupees under the maximum fare of about 70 rupees received through the apps. The president emphasizes that after paying a 15% commission to the relevant companies from that amount, the driver is left with approximately 1800 rupees, and it is absolutely impossible to cover daily living expenses, including children's education, with that money.

In a context where the Minister of Petroleum has stated that there is no fuel shortage in the country and that sufficient fuel reserves exist for another two months, the association requests the government to provide at least 5 liters of fuel per day for professional three-wheeler drivers. Accordingly, they point out that it is essential to provide a quota of at least 35 liters of fuel per week to sustain their livelihoods. He warns that if this request is not met, drivers will be forced to increase the current per-kilometer fare, which is between 60 and 65 rupees, to 500 rupees, which would cause severe inconvenience to hundreds of thousands of passengers who use three-wheelers daily.

It was also emphasized that with the fuel quota system, there is a risk of black market dealings and various irregularities emerging around fuel stations. The association states that the government must immediately take steps to prevent rackets such as vehicles obtaining fuel by bypassing the QR code through bribes of 500 or 1000 rupees to filling station employees, as well as fuel station owners selling fuel in bowsers to other business establishments, as happened on previous occasions. Otherwise, poor professional drivers will become the real victims of the fuel shortage, and black marketeers will gain a significant advantage.

The National Taxi App Three-wheeler Professionals' Union, stating that their aim is not to inconvenience the government, as they were a group that contributed significantly to bringing the current government to power, strongly urges the authorities to affirm their right to live. However, they further state that if the government does not promptly address their reasonable demands and provide a proper response, they will commence a death fast in front of the Presidential Secretariat by Tuesday, which would paralyze all three-wheeler operations and block roads.