Truckers’ stir to hit Kerala hard

36-hour all-India strike from today

FOR COIMBATORE 04/04/2015: 
Workers carrying out refurbishing work at Lorry Pettai in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, as movement of trucks to Kerala was stopped for the fourth day on Saturday.
PHOTO S.SIVA SARAVANAN.

Kerala will be hit hard by the 36-hour all-India strike called by the truck owners and operators from Monday.

The All-India strike is expected to affect movement of vegetables and other essential commodities, particularly from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, which accounts for a major portion of vegetable arrivals in the State.

Coming as it does on a Monday, the arrival of commodities will begin only by Thursday.

Shortage in supplies

Traders here fear possible shortages in supplies and the consequent rise in prices.

The strike has been called by the All India Motor Transport Congress, had called for the national strike in protest against the adverse impact of the Goods and Services Tax on the goods transport sector, hike in diesel prices, and higher insurance premium.

Buses to ply

While the lorry operators associations in Kerala have announced that they would join the strike, bus operators, bus workers, autorickshaw and taxi unions have said that they would not participate in the strike.

However, the unions have expressed solidarity to the issues raised by the truck owners and operators.