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HP truckers meet CM; to hold statewide protest on Feb 4
A delegation of Truck Operators Union met chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in Shimla on Wednesday and apprised him of their problems; Sukhu asked them to give their freight rates to the government so that it could take up the matter with the company concerned
As the impasse between Himachal Pradesh truckers and Adani Group-owned cement companies has failed resolve, the truck unions have given a statewide protest call for February 4.
A delegation of Truck Operators Union met chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in Shimla on Wednesday and apprised him of their problems.
Sukhu asked them to give their freight rates to the government so that it could take up the matter with the company concerned.
He said the state government would not tolerate exploitation of truckers.
Sukhu said that the livelihood of thousands of people in Himachal was connected with cement factories and other activities; therefore, the state government was committed to solving this issue amicably.
Industries minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, chief parliamentary secretary Sanjay Awasthy, MLA Rajesh Dharmani, principal secretary to chief minister Bharat Khera, principal secretary, transport, RD Nazeem, director industries Rakesh Prajapati, director transport Anupam Kashyap and other senior officers were also present during the meeting.
Adani Group had indefinitely suspended operations at its two cement units -- ACC in Barmana and Ambuja in Darlaghat -- on December 14 after a dispute with truck unions over freight charges.
The Adani Group management has blamed transporters for controlling all operational decisions related to the transportation of material.
It has stated that their “unbridled control” without authority or accountability was resulting in inefficiencies.
However, truck unions alleged that Adani Group wanted the truckers to agree to rates which were not viable.
There is no end to the stalemate as both sides refuse to budge.
The Himachal Pradesh government has also failed to end the deadlock so far.
Several rounds of talks mediated by the government have failed to yield results.
