The Hindu : `Movement of essentials not hit'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 15, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

`Movement of essentials not hit'

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE APRIL 14. About 1.75 lakh lorries in the State stayed off the roads on Monday, as their owners joined the nationwide indefinite strike called to protest against alleged harassment meted out to transporters, and "unfavourable" government policies.

However, the Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners' Associations, which decided to join the strike, said it had achieved progress in talks held with the Government on Monday with regard to local problems. The association President, Channa Reddy, said local issues, including overloading, providing parking space for lorries, and allowing old vehicles to ply, had been sorted out with the Government.

Meanwhile, long lines of lorries parked on the roadside were a common sight on the outskirts of Bangalore and the yards of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC). However, the Transport Department confirmed that the movement of vehicles transporting essential commodities, including milk, water, vegetables, medicines, and petroleum products, was not affected.

Task force set up

Addressing presspersons after chairing a meeting of the State-level task force set up to monitor the situation, the Principal Secretary (Transport), B.L. Sridhar, and the Transport Commissioner, Thimme Gowda, said the situation was normal on Monday.

Supply of essential commodities and garbage clearance remained unaffected, Mr. Gowda said, and added that the situation was being monitored every hour, and no untoward incidents had been reported. The task force had chalked out a contingency plan to ensure normality in the State. "We are ready to use government vehicles wherever required. If necessary, we will also hire private vehicles. Police personnel have stepped up patrolling all over the State, and are ready to meet any kind of emergency arising out of the strike,'' Mr. Gowda said.

Stressing that the Government was initiating measures to ensure that normal life was not affected, he said the task force had held talks with the office-bearers of the State-level Goods Vehicles' Federation. "We have requested them not to disrupt supply of essential commodities,'' Mr. Sridhar said.

Organisations such as KMF and Hopcoms had been asked to seek police protection, if necessary, to ensure that normal supply was not affected, he explained.

Petrol supply normal

The supply of petroleum products remained normal on Monday. The Indian Oil Corporation cleared 7,200 kilolitres of petroleum products, and the BPC and HPC 4,000 kilolitres, which was one and half times more than the regular clearance.

Mr. Sridhar said the stock of petroleum products was expected to last three days, and that of LPG seven to 10 days. The task force met thrice on Monday, and it would meet on a daily basis.

He said there was no cause for panic as the Government was making efforts to keep the situation under control. Transport officers would be on duty round the clock at the Control Room set up to monitor the situation. People could call 2253717 to register a complaint about any service that was affected, he added.

Mr. Gowda said the movement of inter-State trucks had been affected to a large extent, and it might come to a halt by Tuesday. Giving details of the district-wise situation, as monitored by the Task Force till noon on Monday, he said there was normal movement of trucks in Haveri, Bijapur, Shimoga, Bellary, Madikeri, Hassan, KGF, Mandya, Mangalore, and Udupi.

While 10 per cent of trucks operated in Bangalore City, Bangalore District, Kolar, Mysore, Chickmaglur, and Chitradurga, 50 per cent of trucks operated in Bidar and Gulbarga, and 20 per cent in Karwar, he said. The movement of trucks had come to a halt in Mysore city, Davangere, Raichur, and Gadag, he added.

The district-level task force, headed by the Deputy Commissioners, had held a meeting, and were taking precautionary measures to ensure normal supply of essential commodities, Mr. Gowda said.

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