Lorry strike commences today throughout the country
Posted on: 20/Jul/2018 2:28:38 PM
The Lorry Owners are going on strike throughout the country as a protest against the steep increase in the prices of petrol and diesel from today (Friday, 20th July).
This will extremely adversely affect the goods movement and thereby there are the dangerous prospects of the prices of essential commodities going up.
The General Secretary of the State Lorry Owners’ Federation Dhanaraj and the Executive Committee Member of the All India Motor Congress, Chennakesavan explained in this regard that supporting the demand for restricting the price increase of the diesel and toll-gate charges as well as the premium of the 3rd party insurance coverage for the vehicles, the strike has commenced from 6.00 AM today (20th July).
During this period, 68 Lakhs lorries throughout the country, including 4.50 Lakhs lorries in Tamil Nadu will not operate. The unions of the lorry owners in the southern states indulged in a strike against the increase in the toll-gate charges. However, the northern state unions did not give the full support/cooperation for this strike. The central government ministry of Land Transport has increased the number of highways with 4 new 6-lane highways.
There are 462 toll-gates throughout the country out of which 162 are in the south and the balance 300 in the north.
So, with the lorry owners from the northern states including Delhi, and Gujarat showing intensive cooperation for this strike, the strike will be of a notable impact.
On behalf of this strike, the activity of booking lorries for carrying goods to other states has been stopped from 15th July.
Over the last 4 days alone, the movement of goods worth Rs, 4500 Crores has been blocked. As the strike is on an All-India basis from today onwards, the impact of the stagnant and unmoved goods will be even greater. 1.50 Crores of workers in the industry will also be affected.
It was expected that the central government will take the initiative to call for discussions on this issue. However, there has been no action until today. So, the strike has commenced today. Due to the lorry strike, there is another adverse effect of the goods carried in trains also getting stuck at the goods storage centres.
If this situation continues for some more day, there will be a shortage of all essential commodities. So, in the interest of public hardship and the welfare of the lorry owners and the associated workers in the industry, the central government must take immediate action to agree to the demands.
With the lorry strike, around 1000s of Crores of Rupees of daily trade will be affected adversely. There are prospects of shortage for essential commodities such as vegetables, milk, food grains, and oil causing huge hardships to the public.
