Even as the sand truckers’ strike has escalated with goods transporters and others having joined the strike since midnight of Saturday, it is unlikely to affect supply of essential commodities immediately.
For, the foodgrain stocks with wholesale merchants is expected to last for at least two weeks while the petroleum products stocks could last up to five days. The movement of milk and vegetable vehicles will not be affected, the transporters have clarified.
The Bangalore Wholesale Food Grains and Pulses Merchants’ Association president Ramesh Chandra Lahoti said: “The retail traders have stocked enough that could last for at least three days and there is no need for the festival shoppers to panic. At any given point of time, the wholesale stocks in Bangalore will last for at least two weeks.”
The sand transporters are on strike for the last 22 days seeking permits for sand transportation besides urging the government to withdraw criminal cases booked against them.
Since Saturday midnight, in a show of solidarity with sand transporters, even goods transporters moving petroleum products and food grains joined the strike. Among others, tourist taxis, maxi cabs and cabs transporting employees to companies have also joined the strike.
“The stock is expected to last between three and five days. But if the strike continues, motorists may start feeling the pinch from Monday. While the stocks with small dealers may last for three days, it may last for five days with big dealers,” chairperson of the Karnataka Petroleum Dealers’ Association, G.V. Bhushan Narang, said.
