The Hindu Business Line : Govt firms up steps to deal with strike

THE Union Government on Saturday initiated moves on taking back-up measures to deal with the transporters' strike which completed six days and is threatening to assume alarming proportions.

"We are consulting the States on how to tackle the situation... what the States can do and what they will require from us," according to an official with the Road Transport & Highway Ministry.

Meanwhile, the country-wide indefinite strike of the transporters has come under flak from the All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners Associations (Acogoa), the apex organisation of goods vehicles owners in the country.

"The Acogoa is constrained to observe that the leadership spearheading the transport strike is not able to handle the situation in an appropriate manner," Mr B. Channa Reddy, President, Acogoa, said in a statement here on Saturday.

Listing some of the demands of the goods vehicle owners, Mr Reddy said that the Government should evolve a fair and rational price mechanism for diesel as well as restructure the duties and taxes.

Besides, Acogoa has suggested that the toll fees should be fairly and proportionately shared by the owners of truck and consignments.

"Why should it be recovered only from the truck owners who are not privy to the owners of consignments or those who undertake their transportation," Mr Reddy said.

Further, the Acogoa said that the Union Finance Ministry should exert pressure on the insurance companies to discharge their responsibilities on issuing third party insurance cover and make them comply with the IRDA directions in this regard.

The Government should also find ways and means to check overloading of vehicles by modifying the Motor Vehicles Act to empower the Central Government to exert its writ on the States.

The indefinite strike launched by the transporters since April 14 showed no signs of reaching a settlement.

The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) which is leading the strike, has decided to bring essential commodities such as milk, fruits, vegetables and cooking gas also under the purview of the strike from Sunday, according to the AIMTC Secretary General, Mr J.M. Saxena.

The truckers' strike has paralysed the manufacturing sector by disrupting the distribution chain across the country.

"The manufacturing sector is forced to stop production in the absence of raw materials.

The industry is also not able to move out the finished goods to the distributors and suppliers, resulting in piling up of inventories and finished goods," the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said in a statement here.

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