BANGALORE: The Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners' Association has decided to support the indefinite strike call given by the All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners Association (ACOGOA), New Delhi, to protest against the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority's "arbitrary" decision to increase third party insurance premium by 150 per cent from January 1, 2007.

President of the federation B. Channa Reddy told presspersons here on Wednesday that the federation had decided to follow the guidelines issued by the ACOGOA regarding the strike call.

The ACOGOA had called upon owners of commercial vehicles, including trucks, tankers, buses and taxies, to keep their vehicles off the roads for an indefinite period from January 25, Mr. Reddy said.

According to the notification issued by the IRDA on the enhanced third party insurance premium, the financial interests of even the owners of private cars, two-wheelers and autorickshaws would be affected.

For instance, private cars up to 1,000 cc, 1,000 to 1,500 cc and above 1500 cc were hitherto paying a third party premium of Rs. 500, Rs.600 and Rs. 700 respectively. But now they had to pay Rs. 670, Rs. 800 and Rs. 2,500. In case of the owners of two-wheelers up to 75 cc, 75 to 150 cc and 150 to 300 cc were paying a premium of Rs. 135, Rs. 160 and Rs.175.

Now all two wheelers up to 175 cc had to pay a flat rate premium of Rs. 300 and the owners of above 350 cc two-wheeler had to pay a consolidated amount of Rs. 620, he said.

Mr. Reddy said that the third party insurance premiums for autorickshaw that come under four categories were Rs. 300, Rs. 555, Rs.125 and Rs. 60.

Now onwards, the autorickshaws that come under the first two categories had to pay Rs. 750 and Rs. 1,050, respectively while the rate of the rest of the slab was not disturbed.

Mr. Reddy urged the Government to withdraw its order on making fitting of speed governors on all commercial vehicles compulsorily as such a technology would hamper the performance of the vehicles.

Even the manufacturers of the vehicles would not approve of such a technical measure, Mr. Reddy said.

He urged the Government to solve the problems pertaining transporting sand to Bangalore city before January 25.

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