Govt gears up to tackle transporters’ strike

About three lakh vehicles in Pune, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Solapur districts would go off the roads at the stroke of midnight, Federation leader Baba Shinde said. The vegetable market at Gultekdi was closed today and the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) authorities were expecting a rise in arrival of goods before the strike commences at mid-night.

The district administration has sought additional vehicles and man-power backup from the State Transport, Home Guards, Regional Transport authorities while the Pune city and rural police will provide adequate protection to the convoys of the incoming and outgoing goods vehicles. “The police will keep vigil on seven major highways passing through the city and various parts of the district,” deputy superintendent of police (home) B Y Bastawadkar said.

The district collectorate has set up three control rooms to monitor the situation, Anoop Kumar said adding that detailed directions have been issued to the authorities concerned. The oil companies were told to dispatch the entire kerosene quotas to the retailers, he said adding that the representatives of the oil companies he met, were skeptical about the strike evoking response from the tanker operators on contract with them. Attempts to obstruct supply of essential commodities would be dealt with under provisions of the Prevention of Black Marketing And Maintenance of Essential Commodities Act 1980, he said.

Truck owners’ association president Arvind Gajare said that the agitation would be peaceful.