KOCHI: The lorry strike is yet to hit supply of vegetables and provisions in the Ernakulam district in a big way. Arrival of vegetables and provisions items was not severely hit though sugar arrivals dwindled a little on Monday largely due to the delay in loading as the financial year closed.

Meanwhile, The district administration has made arrangements to replenish the aviation fuel stock at the BPCL's filling station near Nedumbassery airport.

District Collector A. P. M. Mohammed Hanish, after reviewing the aftermath of the lorry strike, said on Monday night that the step was initiated after the oil companies informed that the aviation fuel stock might go dry by 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

Mr. Hanish said that the supply of fuel would start from Monday midnight to avoid any shortage. He said that public could inform the district administration about lorries hidden by its owners at Phone no: 0484-2382445.

The sugar supply situation would be normal within a day or two as loading operations were in full swing at the mill sites in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, said K. A. Nazeer, a wholesale dealer at the Ernakulam market.

He said that there was sufficient supply of potatoes and onions in the market and he did not foresee any scarcity. Four to five lorry loads of potatoes and onions arrive on normal days at the market while on Monday just a lorry-load of potatoes and two lorry loads of onions arrived.

The situation was similar with the vegetable supplies. The supplies were near-normal, said N. H. Shameed, general secretary, Ernakulam Market Stall Owners' Association.

He said that suppliers and buyers who had their own lorries were not facing any problem because of the strike. However, lorry owners were refusing to operate to Kerala from some of the major markets, he said.

On Monday, six loads each of vegetables arrived from Mettuppalayam and Ottanchtram at the Ernakulam market. Four lorry loads of cowpea arrived from the Puliyanpetti-Sathyamangalam markets on Monday. Similarly, five lorry loads of tomatoes arrived from Hosur. This made the supply situation near-normal although prices were high.

Arrangements have been made for the supply of carrots and cabbages from Bangalore and Munnar in view of the possible suspension of business at the Mettuppalayam market on Tuesday, said Mr. Shameed.

K.G. Venugopal, district vice-President of Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithy, said that the strike should not be allowed to prolong. The Government should convene a meeting immediately to settle the strike. He said that the supply situation was yet to be affected but warned against the impact of a prolonged strike on the general public.

Meanwhile, the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry faxed a message to the Chief Minister and the Transport Minister seeking their intervention to end the strike.

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