Commuters should ensure their own safety - GMR Dilantha Fernando

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The strike action launched by the officials attached to the Department of Railways continued for the seventh consecutive day. Similar to previous days, the public was stranded and inconvenienced today as well. Some of them had risked their lives to get on to trains and reach their destinations. Who is responsible for the agony people go through due to this strike action? Who is responsible for the lives of these commuters? We spoke to the General Manager of Railways Dilantha Fernando. What he said was "They should ensure their own security. If the limit has exceeded on a bus, we don't get into it, do we? We are doing all that we can". Ashok Abeysinghe, State Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation stated that the trade unions do not obey their orders and they did not agree to implement the discussed conditions when it came to it. He added that this was an orchestrated trade union action by the opposition as they continue to engage in trade union action even when the ministry has already agreed to all their demands. Journalist: We saw how people were on the roof of the train. Who will be responsible for these lives in case something detrimental happens?  Ashok Abeysinghe, State Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation noted that the members of the trade unions should be held responsible if any harm were to befall the commuters.