Karnal truck operators observe one-day strike

Tribune News Service

Karnal, November 23

Truck operators on Thursday observed a one-day strike in protest against the ban on plying of more than 10-year-old diesel vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR).

On October 29, the Supreme Court had directed the government to cancel the registration and stop the plying of all 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles in wake of increasing pollution in the NCR.

With this, around 1.60 lakh petrol and diesel vehicles would be off the road from December 1 in the district.

In compliance with the orders, the Additional Chief Secretary, Transport Department, directed the Secretary, RTA, to impound such vehicles and send them for dismantling.

Palwinder Singh Bedi, president, Karnal Truck Operators, said that Karnal was included in the NCR in 2015, but no facility was provided in the district.

“We want to meet Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to request him to approach the Union Government for bringing an ordinance to save the livelihood of the dependants on nearly 12,000 trucks in the district,” he said.

“We request the government to extend the lifespan of the diesel vehicles by five more years,” he added. The operators threatened to go on an indefinite strike if their demands were not accepted within week.