The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Supply of essential commodities hit

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Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Supply of essential commodities hit

Staff Reporter

Price rise imminent as strike by truckers enters second day

- Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

Receiving end: Customers buy petrol in jerry cans as petrol stations run out of stock following the indefinite strike by truckers.

Hyderabad: Supply of essential commodities to the twin cities was hit considerably, raising the spectre of an imminent price rise again, as the indefinite strike by the Truckers and Lorry Owners Association entered the second day on Tuesday.

On an average, 1000 trucks supply pulses, rice and other grains to the State capital but on Tuesday only 200 trucks turned up. If the strike continues for a day more, it will lead to an artificial crisis and the cascading effect will see a rise in prices of essential commodities, said Hyderabad and Secunderabad Retail Dealers Association, General Secretary, Dilip Kumar Pansari.

Similarly, supply of petrol and diesel was also affected and several fuel stations at Krishna Nagar, S. R. Nagar, Kukatpally and other areas already put up ‘No stock’ boards.

There are over 300 petrol and diesel selling pumps in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts. Nearly, 900 kilolitres of petrol and 1,500 kilolitres of diesel is sold everyday in the two districts, says Twin Cities Petrol and Diesel Retail Dealers Association, General Secretary, Prabhakar Reddy.

Generally, about 700-odd trucks supply petrol and diesel daily, but a majority of the trucks could not reach the city on Tuesday. Many dealers were maintaining less fuel stocks in anticipation of a reduction in the prices and this was also adding to problems. As the news of fuel shortage spread across twin cities, motorists resorted to panic buying of petrol and diesel.

However, vegetable supplies to the city were not affected. Everyday 300 trucks transport vegetables from Shamshabad, Madanapalli, Adilabad, Bangalore and other places to the Bowenpally vegetable market but there are enough doubts over supplies on Wednesday.

Already, prices of onions have hit the roof and if the truck strike continued, vegetable prices would follow suit, said Bowenpally Agricultural Market Committee, Selection Grade Secretary, Khader Vali.

Truckers launched the indefinite strike on Monday demanding reduction of Rs. 10 per litre in diesel price, decrease in the national permit fee from Rs. 5, 000 to Rs. 1, 500, withdrawal of plans to allot the Kukatpally Truck parking lot to a private company other demands.

The Andhra Pradesh Lorry Owners Association, General Secretary, Y.V. Easwara Rao informed that the strike would be continued until their demands were met and even after the government invokes ESMA.

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