Thiruvananthapuram: The Coordination Committee of the Lorry Owners in the State has decided to go ahead with the indefinite strike from Saturday midnight as the talks convened by Minister for Transport Mathew T. Thomas with the representatives of the lorry owners here on Saturday night failed.

Briefing reporters after the three-and-a-half-hour-long talks with the Minister at the Secretariat, Chairman of the Coordination Committee of the Lorry Owners P. Ramachandran said the Government had failed to given any assurance on two major demands.

Truckers' charge

The owners are demanding reduction in the 10 per cent hike in motor vehicle tax and to restore the various services to lorries through Regional Transport Offices.

Mr. Ramachandran said speed governors were not an issue as they were ready to install the gadgets as per the Supreme Court order. "All services from the RTO offices had been stopped. They are trying to link the demands to the speed governors," he said. The request to extend date to remit tax and to make available speed governors was not accepted.

The lorry owner's association in Tamil Nadu has supported the stir and agreed not to operate lorries to the State. Later, the Minister told a press conference that he had given assurance to the owners that he would take up the two demands with the Chief Minister and other Ministers as it involved policy decision.

Mr. Thomas said the issue was speed governors and the lorries that install the gadgets would be provided service. "They were told that the Government could not go back on the speed governors as four IAS officials from the State were facing contempt in the Supreme Court".

The Transport Commissioner had been asked to issue orders so that they can buy the gadgets from any company following complaint that some companies had been short-listed during United Democratic Front regime. The Minister said the Government would step in to ensure that the life of the people was not affected by the stir. "I am in touch with the Chief Minister and Home Minister who are in New Delhi," he added.

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