Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
Pics: Dayanand Kukkajje
 
Mangalore, Jan 22: The truckers’ strike call given by the Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners and Agents Association (FKLOAA) here on Monday January 21, received a lukewarm response in the city, with practically the transportation of essentials and other commodities in the city and Udupi district remaining unaffected from this state-wide bundh call.  

Truckers all over the city and Udupi refused to adhere to the bundh as a result supply of vegetables, milk and other commodities remained largely unaffected. Usually the vegetable market is the first to be hit in case of a bundh by truckers but this has not been the case so far.   

Vegetables which are supplied to Dakshina Kannada district from Mysore, Bangalore, Hassan etc are being brought in on the Bangalore-Mangalore train. According to vegetable vendors of the Central market the supply of the vegetables has been uninterrupted. Moreover, they seem positive that even if the strike continues for some time, there will be no problem, as now they have the train service available for plying the same to the city.

According to K Sanjeev Shetty, the president of the South Kanara Transport Operators Association (SKTPA) although the truckers were one with regard to opposition to the decision to install speed governors in commercial vehicles, they were against the stir as it badly hits productivity and causes great inconvenience to the common man. He is reported to have queried "If we remove our trucks from the road, who will pay for the tax, staff and daily wage workers."  

At the same time Shetty condemned the government for imposing the rule of speed governors. He said "Already, we are controlling speed through our own mechanism. It will be difficult for us to put in speed governors which cost thousands," he added. He further opined that the opposition to speed governors should have been taken up much earlier and the Federation should have in fact filed a writ in the court against the proposal in the early stages itself. Now it is too late, he is reported to have averred.  

Similarly Canara Bus Operators Association (CBOA) president Raj Verma Bhalla informed that they too have extended their support to the truckers’ stir, but they have not removed their buses off the road, as of now. According to him they have given a deadline till Tuesday, January 22 night to the government and based on that decision, they would decide their future course of action, he added.  

The South Kanara Transport Operations Association (SKTOA) is a district association of truckers, but it is not an active organization. Hence it has left it to the discretion of its members to decide what is best for them. Due to this, some trucks are plying and some are not, informed its treasurer Walter Lobo.