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Traffic crippled as tipper operators lay siege on Delhi-Amritsar highway
Criticising the state government for introducing new provisions in the new mining policy, which they said had adversely affected business, tipper drivers stepped out in droves in Ludhiana to mark their protest
Commuters faced the brunt of traffic blockade after tipper operators from across the district laid siege to one side of the New Delhi-Amritsar national highway during the wee hours of Monday.
Criticising the state government for introducing new provisions in the new mining policy, which they said had adversely affected business, they stepped out in droves to mark their protest.
The blockade between Sahnewal and Doraha affected flow of traffic between 5 am to 10.30 am. The protestors called off the sit-in after local members of legislative assembly (MLA) assured them that their demands will be met.
The protest was staged under the banner of the Somasar Tipper Welfare Association, which has over around 150 members.
Sahnewal station house officer inspector Sukhdev Singh, meanwhile, said the protestors had lifted the sit-in at around 10 am, adding that the traffic had earlier been diverted to the other side of the highway.
Protestors said the new mining policy had the government restricting the use of machinery such as porcelain for excavating the soil from private land, adding that as the excavation for non-commercial use is being only allowed through manual mode by labourers, prices of essential raw material for construction purposes have increased.
Leading the protestors, Surinder Singh said, “With new conditions, the price of earth per tipper has increased by ₹2,000, we have made advance contracts with the land owners which are nearing the deadline.”
Singh added that the drivers and machine operators associated with the industry will be rendered jobless if no action is taken.
Echoing the concerns, another operator, Amrik Singh, said the current royalty rate of ordinary clay and ordinary earth had been fixed at ₹2 per cubic feet for use in the construction of commercial infrastructure projects other than brick kilns. He said that the government is permitting the excavation of up to 2 acres with depth up to 3 feet only through manual mode which will increase the cost of the operation. He said they have been pressing for their demands for the last year.
Sahnewal legislator Hardeep Singh Mundian said he will try to fix the meeting of the protesters with the mines and geology minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer to resolve the matter.
