Tamil Nadu: Truck owners begin indefinite strike demanding fare hike

Tiruchi: Truck owners providing services to the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) on Monday began an indefinite strike in Thanjavur. The truck owners are demanding an increase in vehicle rentals and control over the menace of middlemen in transportation. The TNCSC has been controlling warehouses and district consumer cooperative societies (DPCs), and the department outsources trucks to transport paddy from the DPCs to the warehouses, from there to rice mills and then to other districts by train. The tender for truck transportation is reported to have been given to a private firm, which has made sub-contracting arrangements in all districts. According to truck owners, as per the rental agreement, the contractors are entitled to Rs 598 per 7 km with a 10 per cent annual increase. However, truck owners said they are paid only Rs 320, and there is no increase in annual rentals.

Truck Owners Association president M Sundaravel said, “As our repeated appeals to abide by the rental agreement failed, we were left with no option but to go on an indefinite strike.” Sundaravel further informed that around 1,200 trucks of TNCSC are being operated for the warehouses located in Pillayarpatti, Chennampatti, Nanjikottai and Punalkulam. “Since we are paid only Rs 320 as per the rental agreement, we find it very difficult to cope with the regular expenses including diesel, toll plaza rent and repair works,” Sundaravel said. He also said that the association approached the authorities several times but there was no quick response from them, so they decided to go on an indefinite strike. He also warned that the activities of TNCSC across the state would be badly affected.