M A I N   N E W S

Truckers’ stir loses steam
Strike called off in three states

New Delhi, April 21
The transporters’ agitation appears to have lost steam, with truckers in at least three major states having called off their agitation, while in some important cities, small-time truck owners are back on the roads.

Truckers in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa put a halt to the stir even as the All-India Motor Transport Congress, spearheading the strike, claimed that the stir was still on, with only “disgruntled elements” having withdrawn.

While top BJP leaders were closeted with the agitating truckers, Transport Minister, B.C. Khanduri made it clear that the highway tax, which the operators had demanded to be waived, was not negotiable.

He also said the seven states in which overloading of trucks had been widely resorted to had been asked to take stringent action against such practices.

On the truckers’ demand for stability in diesel prices, Mr Khanduri, said the Petroleum Ministry would discuss the matter with the authorities concerned.

As the strike entered the eighth day, there were varying reports about the hike in prices of essential commodities and the supply of raw materials to factories.

While the government claimed that there was no appreciable increase in the prices of essential commodities, traders’ bodies claimed that the rise ranged from 30 to 50 per cent.

With the transporters’ strike echoing in Parliament today, the government said Mr Khanduri would make a statement tomorrow.

In West Bengal, the eight-day long stir was withdrawn after an assurance by state Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty that the government would consider the four-point demands of the Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators’ Associations.

Federation general secretary, Satyajit Majumder said the withdrawal of the strike would be effective from 6 pm this evening.

The indefinite truckers’ strike in West Bengal was launched by the federation on April 14 at the joint call of the All-India Motor Transport Congress, New Delhi, and the All-India Confederation of Goods Vehicles Owners’ Association.

Meanwhile, the Congress today attacked the Centre for what it called its indifferent attitude towards the truckers’ strike and sought Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s intervention to put an end to the week-long stir.

“We are surprised at the cavalier and casual approach of the government towards the ongoing truckers’ strike. It has cost an immense loss to the economy. It has led to a steep increase in the prices of essential commodities,” party spokesman Jaipal Reddy said. PTI