The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Trucks to keep off roads again

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Wednesday, Jul 02, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Trucks to keep off roads again

Staff Reporter

Federation resents frequent increase in diesel price

A few organisations will not join the strike
Government to consult legal department
on speed governors

BANGALORE: Majority of the trucks will be off the roads in the State from midnight Tuesday, joining the nationwide truckers’ strike called by the All India Motor Transport Congress. The Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners’ and Agents’ Associations has supported the strike call in Karnataka.

However, a few organisations affiliated to the All-India Confederation of Goods Vehicles Owners’ Association will not join the strike.

One of the Directors of the federation, Jagadish Prabhu, told The Hindu on Tuesday that the grouse of truckers was mainly against the Union Government. Frequent increase in diesel price has become detrimental to truckers as well as general public. Also, truckers are up against the Centre’s toll collection policy and the decision to bring them under the service tax net.

Mr. Prabhu said the federation office-bearers held a meeting with Home Minister V.S. Acharya and Transport Commissioner M. Lakshminarayana on Tuesday. As the Karnataka High Court has already pronounced the judgment making speed governors mandatory for public transport vehicles, the Minister reportedly promised the federation that the Government would thrash out all the available options to redress their grievance.

In so far as higher tax incidence on diesel in the State, Mr. Acharya told the federation that it was due to higher landing price of fuels in Karnataka. The Government has urged the Centre to bring the landing price of fuels in Karnataka on a par with neighbouring states.

Legal options

Meanwhile, Transport Minister R. Ashok said the Government would consult the legal department on the issue of implementing speed governors in vehicles, before deciding the next course of action.

Speaking to presspersons here during the Press Day celebrations, the Minister said that he had not read the High Court order as yet, and that Advocate-General Uday Holla would be consulted in this regard. “I appeal to the Union Government to call the truckers for a meeting and solve their problems,” he added.

Appealing to the truckers not to go ahead with their strike, Mr. Ashok said that the strike would cause inconvenience to the public, as it would lead to rise in prices of commodities.

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