Even as the road transporters are getting ready to go on an indefinite nation-wide strike from January 5, the ministry of road transport and highways is not likely to agree to their demands such as waiving toll for the transporters for a period of nine months. Also, the ministry is not paying heed to transporters? demands such as a further cut in diesel prices and withdrawal of service tax, calling them subjects of other concerned departments.
?The transporters? demand to waive toll for a period of nine months cannot be entertained. A large amount of money is spent on creation of high-class road infrastructure, which cannot be recovered from any other means. So, there is no scope of any relaxation on that front,? said an official. On the other demands like decrease in diesel prices and service tax, he said, ?The issue of reduction in diesel prices and service tax is a concern of other ministries.?
On the changes in the age-old Carriage Act, the official said, ?The clause on imposing penalty on the erring transporters by de-registering them has been duly introduced after discussion with the representatives of the sector. In the earlier Act, there was a liability penalty of Rs 100 in case of damage to the goods, which the ministry proposed to increase to Rs 10,000. Even though this was proposed post discussions with the concerned parties, they are now opposing it.?
However, transporters unanimously said none of the proposals that were forwarded to the ministry has been considered. ?The imposition of de-registering clause will only cause harassment for the transporters and stoke corruption,? said a transporter.
Meanwhile, transporters are sensitising the state-level operators about the issues to garner support from them to make the strike a success. ?We are educating transporters at state-level on issues that we are pitching for, so as to garner maximum support from them,? said a Delhi-based transport company owner, who is in Orissa canvassing for the strike.