10 September 2019 07:20 pm
Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association President Gemunu Wijeratne yesterday said that fifty per cent of bus drivers and conductors islandwide were addicted to drugs.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror he said this situation had caused a collapse of the bus industry.
He said bus drivers and conductors used to be addicted to ganja, but now the trend has moved towards crystal methamphetamine which is known as 'ice.'
Drug addiction has increased due to the failure to implement the ‘Sahasara’ project.
"Conductors and drivers used to earn extra money without giving proper balance cash to passengers, with many conductors collecting a considerable amount at the end of the day, which they used to get addicted to drugs such as ice," he said.
"Not having proper parking areas, proper timetables and mental stress due to heavy traffic situations has caused the addiction to drugs," he said.
Letters in this regard were sent to the Transport Minister, the National Council on Road Safety and to the Police Headquarters, Mr. Wijeratne added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)