Truckers will not take part in the talks convened by the Commercial Tax Department officials of Kerala on March 30, according to the general secretary of the South India Lorry Owners Association, G.R. Shanmugappa.
“There is no plan to call off the indefinite strike proposed from the midnight of April 1. We want the Chief Minister or the Finance Minister to take part in the talks,” Mr. Shanmugappa told The Hindu on Friday.
The lorry owners have already made several representations and participated in several meetings with the Kerala government. Their three key demands are: appointment of Commercial Tax officials for the booths in all the 10 lanes at Walayar check post, a green channel for vehicles that are carrying goods that are visible (such as vegetables, eggs and steel) and a scanner at the check post.
Lorries wait for more than 10 hours at the check post now for clearance. It was decided not to operate trucks to and from Kerala as their demands have not been met.
The lorry owners will call off the strike only if their three demands are met. The other demands include provision of infrastructure for the truck drivers and at the helpdesk for the All India Motor Transport Congress that is already functioning at Walayar.
They want the Chief Minister or Finance Minister to take part in talks
