Vasco: The Mormugao Port Tourist Taxi Union (MPTTU) has written to the Mormugao police, urging them to question president of Travel & Tourism Association of Goa, Savio Messias after he levelled certain charges of misbehaviour against the taxi operators.MPTTU president Sanjay Kanoji said, “Messias says we are ruining tourism in the state, when the fact is by claiming false charges against us, he is himself is ruining tourism in Goa. After he informed the media about passengers being harassed, I feel that nobody would now want ever to come to Goa.”Last week, Messias had alleged that the taxi drivers at the MPT cruise terminal had forced 20 corporate passengers of Angriya to alight from the coach that was hired by the travel agency, and use their taxis instead. Messias had condemned the incident, stating that tourism is getting a bad name due to the taxi operators’ misbehaviour.“Messias should be careful about what he speaks as it portrays the entire tourism industry in bad light,” Kanoji added.MPTT member Deepak Kavlekar said, “We are unnecessarily being depicted as villians. We operate under the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC). So Messias should make it clear whether we or GTDC are the culprits,” he said.Recalling last week’s incident, Kanoji said, “A day prior, the travel agency informed me that they are a hiring a coach for 20 corporate passengers for Rs 7,000. I informed him that we can provide four cars for Rs 6,000, to which they agreed. Accordingly, the following day, passengers from Angriya boarded our taxis without any complication or arguments.”The travel agency on Saturday filed a complaint with Mormugao police stating that they have suffered losses as MPTTU had informed them not to get a coach and use their taxis. They have urged the police to look into the matter.

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