Himachal's Auto-driver Union writes letter to CM seeking finacial help amid COVID-19 lockdown

Auto-rickshaw drivers in the city are facing a severe financial crisis as the lockdown has left them without a source of livelihood for almost a month now. Auto Union Chief wrote a letter to Himachal CM seeking financial help.

Bilaspur: For the past several years, Auto Union chief and an auto driver Mohammad Rafi has been earning his living on the roads of Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh. For Rafi and other 4,200 auto-rickshaws drivers, this is his only source of income but now they are struggling to make ends meet amid the lockdown to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

Rafi has written a letter to the state Chief Minister Jairam Thakur through E-mail seeking financial help and about the plight of the auto drivers as they are striving hard to earn their living.

Rafi told ETV Bharat that till now he didn't get an answer from the Chief Minister.

Most of the auto drivers buy food with the money they make each day and have no savings to fall back on.

If we talk about Bilaspur's auto drivers then the number is around 150 such families whose source of income is at a halt due to the lockdown.

Rafi said, "We have to pay our EMI of the auto-rickshaw every month but now the situation is worst as it is difficult to even feed our families."

Ha further said that Delhi and Kerala government has provided financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to each of the drivers of public transport vehicles including autos, taxis and e-rickshaws in the city rendered idle due to lockdown. We also demand the same kind of financial help from the state government.

Sahil Khan, a resident of Bilaspur city has been driving autos for 10 years. He said that they have demanded help from the government and they wish that the government will listen to their demand and will help them in the time of the pandemic.