Talks skid, strike continues

As the truckers strike entered its seventh day, hopes of an early end appeared dim with agitating transporters on Sunday rejecting a fresh a...

As the truckers strike entered its seventh day, hopes of an early end appeared dim with agitating transporters on Sunday rejecting a fresh appeal by government to end the stir even as they deferred a planned blockade of milk and cooking gas till Wednesday.

8220;We have rejected the call given by road transport ministry to end the stir as they first asked us to end the strike before coming to negotiation table,8221; the secretary general of All India Motor Transport Congress AIMTC J M Saksena said. It is not possible for us to hold talks with government with pre-conditions attached, he said. The government had offered to consider a majority of their demands, including the key issue of keeping the sector out of VAT regime and repeal of the ban on old trucks, and appealed for a halt to the stir.

Quoting a communication from Ministry of Road Transport, Saksena said the government had by and large no differences on the seven out of 10 demands of the truckers. The offer comes as the strike entered its seventh day leading to a steep rise in prices of fruits and vegetables across the country.

8220;Government has agreed to repeal orders junking 15-year old trucks, rein in errant insurance companies and non-inclusion under VAT8217;8217;, he claimed.

The other issues agreed to by the government include ban on overloading, restructuring national permits scheme, computerisation of driving licenses and registration books, and amendment in the Carriers Act.

However, the government has not agreed to the demand for withdrawing 50 paisa per litre cess on diesel, toll on four lane roads, excise duty on chassis and frequent fluctuations in diesel prices. However, Saksena also denied reports of a split amongst striking truckers in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh transport joint action committee APTJAC has called off their seven-day-old strike following assurance by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu that their problems concerning the state would be solved and demands relating to the centre will be represented.

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On the other hand, Orissa government said majority of the truck owners in the state had began plying their vehicles virtually ending the week-long strike but the claim was contradicted by AIMTC.

The strike in Maharashtra continued for the 21st day on Sunday affecting supply of vegetables and fruit to the market and that of goods to the industrial units.

The leaders of truck operators8217; associations in West Bengal would meet within a day or two to review the strike as prices of commodities continued. Meanwhile, in Madhya Pradesh, the supply of essential commodities, especially perishable items like fruits and vegetables and movement of goods to factories were badly affected. The worst hit were the workers associated with the transport business with no loading or unloading of goods taking place. Truck drivers and helpers were also affected.

However, the president of Ahmedabad Motor Transport Association has assured continuous flow of essential commodities into Gujarat.