Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government has decided to suspend the license of at least 70 Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) drivers in view of Wednesday’s flash strike in the state capital.

The decision comes under the recommendation of the Motor Vehicle's Department. The Thiruvananthapuram District Collector also urged the state government to bring the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) under the ambit of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).

Transport Minister AK Saseendran has summoned a high-level-meeting on Friday to discuss the matter.

The government had come under severe criticism of the opposition in the assembly for the death of a 65-year-old man during the KSRTC flash strike on March 4.

In his preliminary report submitted to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Collector K Gopalakrishnan said that striking by parking buses on the road was a grave offence, whatever the cause of the protest.

Meanwhile, the police gave a statement to the collector that there was a delay in shifting a man, who collapsed during the strike, to hospital owing to the traffic block created by the agitators. The man later succumbed to a heart attack. Police officers also told the collector that the District Transport Officer (DTO) had manhandled them.

Meanwhile, an office-bearer of the KSRTC workers’ union informed the collector that no strike call had been issued. The bus crew abandoned the buses on the road on their own, he said.

While recommending extension of ESMA to KSRTC, the Collector pointed out that at present, the Act only lists ‘transport’ as an essential service. A new notification has to be issued to add the term ‘KSRTC’ in the Act, he said.

The Essential Services Maintenance Act was established to ensure the delivery of certain services, which if obstructed would affect the normal life of the people.

In case the nature of strike disrupts only a state or states, then the states can invoke it. In case of disruption on a national scale, especially railways, the ESMA 1968 can be invoked by central government.

The collector said that the final report would be prepared after examining the CCTV visuals and checking the statements received. The evidence was collected by Gopalakrishnan after visiting East Fort, where the incidents had occurred. When the Collector reached the spot, passengers who had been stranded during Wednesdays’ strike rushed to him and aired their complaints.