Panaji, Jan 20: Tourists and commuters in sunny Goa are having a tough time finding transport, because the taxi cab drivers have kicked up their heels and thumbed their collective noses at both the State government and a Supreme Court directive to install speed governors on their vehicles.

Taxi operators today kept their vehicles off the roads in Goa for the second day, despite the state government invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) prohibiting the strike.

“The strike continues even today and not a single taxi will operate in the state. We have been protesting peacefully.

The strike will continue,” Vinayak Nanoskar, General Secretary, North Goa Tourist Taxi Association told PTI.

Due to the strike, which started yesterday, around 18,000-odd taxis and 350 yellow and black pre-paid taxis are not operating even today.

The tourist taxi operators in Goa are protesting against state government’s decision asking them to install speed governor on their vehicles as per the directives of the Supreme Court.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has refused to cede the taxi operators’ demand. Installation of speed governor was part the Supreme Court’s directives, he said yesterday.

The BJP-led government has invoked ESMA, but no action was taken against taxi operators yesterday.

  Goa