Truckers’ stir to continue as talks with CM Siddaramaiah fail to break deadlock
Bengaluru, Apr 15 (PTI): The indefinite strike of the truckers in Karnataka will continue as talks with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah failed to yield any breakthrough, a truckers’ body office bearer said on Tuesday.
Despite the Chief Minister's appeal to the truckers to call off the strike in public interest, the truckers refused to relent, citing the state government's failure to meet their demands including a reduction in diesel prices and concrete assurances on toll-related issues.
The strike launched at midnight between Monday and Tuesday, brought the movement of Karnataka-based trucks to a standstill affecting transportation of goods within and outside the state.
The protest was spearheaded by the Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association, which cited rising fuel prices and alleged harassment at toll plazas, as the main reason for the stir.
The association is an umbrella organisation of 129 truckers associations with six lakh members — drivers, agents and truck owners.
As the trucks remained stationed at the truck terminals across the state, due to the strike, the Chief Minister convened a meeting with the FOKSLOAA office bearers on Tuesday evening.
The FOKSLOAA delegation led by its president G R Shanmugappa attended the meeting.
The protesters were adamant about reduction of diesel prices, but the government rejected their demand.
“The talks have failed. Our strike will continue. The government did not agree to reduce the diesel prices,” FOKSLOAA general secretary Somasundaram Balan told PTI.
After the meeting the Chief Minister’s office issued a statement that the duty on diesel has been increased by Rs two in the budget.
“But the price of diesel is lower in our state compared to neighbouring states,” the statement read.
The CM said the state government is aware of the demands of the truckers’ federation. He appealed to the lorry owners to cooperate with the government as the government is pro-poor.
“The state government is spending about Rs 14,000 crore every year on improving roads. Rs 83,000 crore has been earmarked for capital expenditure this year,” he explained in his statement.
The government will review other demands, including the lifting of restrictions on the entry of lorries into the city during the traffic jam period.
He further said another meeting will be held with the truckers in this regard.
The effect of the stir was evident as trucks remained off roads in many parts of the state, especially in cities like Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, and Tumakuru.
The strike may affect the economic activities in the state severely, resulting in an increase in prices of essential commodities.
Harish Sabharwal, president of All India Motor Transport Congress told PTI that the initial response showed that the stir was successful.
According to him, neither the trucks from any part of India would enter Karnataka, nor trucks from the state will go out.
The FOKSLOAA gave a call for an indefinite strike demanding to solve critical and long-standing issues faced by the road transport sector in the state.
Steep hike in Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel resulted in an increase in price by five rupees per litre over the last nine months, severely escalating operating costs for transporters, a letter sent by the association to its members read.
Persistent extortion and harassment at state toll plazas cause undue stress and financial burden, the association alleged.
Further, the non-abolition of border checkposts, which continue to function redundantly despite GST implementation and the proposed increase in fitness renewal fees for older vehicles, which would heavily impact small and medium operators, are also among the reasons cited.
The federation alleged that the stir is also against the unreasonable no-entry restrictions in Bengaluru, which hampers operational efficiency and timely delivery of goods, and the widespread harassment by Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC) and microfinance institutions, including unlawful vehicle seizures and mental harassment of vehicle owners.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
