Ernakulam (Kerala): As Covid brought many people on its knees, who lost their means of livelihood were forced to look for means and ways for their survival. The owner of Royal Travels in Kochi Royson Joseph decided to sell his tourist buses. The Covid and the subsequent lockdown forced Joseph to sell his buses as scrap-Rs 45/kg. Out of the ten buses, bought Rs 45 lakh, he decided to sell three of them.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Royson said that the decision was taken to pay the loan and tax of other buses and to cover the cost of living by selling at Rs 45 per kg. After Covid, most of his work stopped.
Despite no income, he has to pay taxes. The maintenance of the buses itself is a huge expense. He says those in the sector are on the verge of suicide as they have defaulted on large loans from financial institutions.
The previous day also, the police seized one of his vehicles and imposed a fine of Rs 2,000, for which he has already paid tax and insurance, he said adding that it already has insurance, a pollution control certificate, and a permit.
About 80 percent of people in this sector are on the verge of suicide. Unable to move forward, many have already committed suicide. The owner of Royal Travels explains with anguish that his buses will be sold out the very next day and that is for sure.
'Financiers come home every day asking for money. There were 20 buses before the lockdown. Following the crisis, 10 buses were sold for the price obtained. Three of the remaining ten buses are now on sale. If these three buses are sold, I will get at least Rs 15 lakh', he said. Royson also alleges that there has been no response from the authorities so far. If the tourist bus sector exists, the government itself will get the tax. Royson also called on the government to waive the tax on tourist buses for at least a year under the current circumstances.
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