The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Sand lorry owners begin strike today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 02, 2007
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Sand lorry owners begin strike today

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners’ Associations has threatened to stop transportation of sand from Thursday.

If the officials concerned continue to insist that drivers of sand transporting lorries should carry receipts towards payment of royalty to the Government. Federation president B. Channa Reddy in a release said officials of various departments had been “harassing” drivers and owners of sand lorries stating they were transporting sand illegally. Apart from filing criminal cases and sending drivers to jail, the Government had been imposing penalty up to Rs. 25,000.

Mr. Reddy said the lease granted for excavation of sand contribute only 10 per cent of the demand. The rest, he said, is lifted from roadside after villagers excavate the same from their sources. As such, lorry owners are unable to show the receipt for payment of royalty.

Although the officials of the Mines and Geology Department said they would lease out areas for excavation to of sand to cater to the city, they had not done so.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News Update

Stories in this Section