Nation’s biggest truckers union seek FIR against Adani Cement

Seeking  government to register an FIR against the Adani Cement under the emergency provisions of the law All India Motor Transport Congress has announced its support to the  agitation of 7000 thousand truck operators after the sudden closure of cement factories at Barmana in district Bilaspur and Dadlaghat in district Solan by the Adani group. Transport Congress President Kultar Singh Atwal has said in a release issued in this regard that the new management of these factories, which is being controlled by the Adani Group, is adopting an unrealistic and stubborn attitude towards freight.He said that the Adani management is bent on exploiting the operators to increase their profits and the sudden closure of factories has affected about one lakh families in Himachal Pradesh. Mr  Atwal also stated that the rates of freight which were there 20 years back are the same even today.  He said that 15 years ago the price of diesel was very low, which has reached Rs 90 a liter today.  Earlier there was no toll tax, now the operator with national permit pays more than four lakh rupees as toll tax annually.  Earlier tires used to be imported from China but anti-dumping duty has been imposed on this import and the prices of tires have doubled.  There has been a manifold increase in insurance. In this case, there must be an increase in freight charges.He said that the Adani management should have called the truck operators for talks on the freight issue.  He could also involve the government and other stakeholders.  But he closed the factories by adopting an arm-twisting attitude. He demanded Chief Minister Sukhwinder ingh Sukhu to provide package to the truck operators and other affected people and said that the livelihood of the operators has become difficult.On being asked that if the factories do not open and the operators have to go outside to work, would the All India Motor Transport Congress cooperate with these operators.  Atwal said that he will definitely cooperate, but the country’s economy is already weak, in such a situation, everyone would have to think carefully.

Remember, crores of truck operators across the country are associated with the All India Motor Transport Congress.  He had also supported today’s “Chakka Jam’ call but the Himachal truck operators have postponed the Chakka call.