Truckers resume work in many parts of the country: Govt

The government said local supplies have improved with truckers resuming services in many areas, while reiterating its threat that more states would invoke ESMA if the strike continues in the remaining parts.

The government on Sunday said local supplies have improved with truckers resuming services in many areas, while reiterating its threat that more states would invoke ESMA to smoothen the supply of goods if the hauliers do not return to work in the remaining parts of the country.

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However, agitating truckers are still holding out on their demands, while stressing "the strike is nationwide and complete", claimed All India Transporters Welfare Association President Ramesh Agarwal.

"The truckers in many parts of the country have started working... I am sure more and more transporters would return to work," Transport Secretary Brahm Dutt told reporters in New Delhi. However, he accepted that inter-state movement of goods as well as transportation of industrial products were affected due to the ongoing strike which has entered the seventh day today.

"Locally, the goods are being carried. The only thing that is affected is inter-state movement of goods and industrial and export products," Dutt said. Meanwhile, Haryana invoked Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA), becoming the eighth state so far to implement the step to deal with the strike.