The government has incurred Rs. 50 million losses within three months because of Western Province Transport Minister Upali Kodikara’s decision to provide 100 route licences to his ‘favourites’ outside tender procedures, Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA) alleged yesterday.

LPBOA president Gemunu Wijeratne said the association had decided to file a case against this in the Supreme Court as its complaints to the Bribery Commission had fallen on deaf ears. Addressing a media conference at Kantha Kala Kendaraya, Narahenpita, Wijeratne said illegal issue of bus permits to one’s kith and kin was a punishable offence.

He alleged that several old bus permits had also been given to the Western Province Transport Minister’s favourites. He said private buses in the province were being operated without timetables though the LPBOA had requested the Western Province Road Passenger Transport Authority to provide the schedules.

When asked why some private buses were plying half the distance though their destinations boards depicted the correct destinations, Wijeratne explained that all time-keepers employed by the Road Passenger Transport Authority had to stop their duties around 6pm or 7pm. The buses plying in the night were unable to get departure times signed by the time-keepers who were off-duty.

Referring to the ETF and EPF benefits requested by the private bus crew, Wijeratne said around 45,000 private bus crew would be brought under these schemes when the timetables are introduced. The private bus owners would not want to contribute on employees’ behalf, he pointed out.

He said the annual income from EPF and ETF contributions that could be made by the employers would be around Rs. 9 billion. The LPBOA would expect the relevant authorities to prepare timetables, he said.