Jolt to industry as truckers withdraw freight discount

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, August 23

Facing losses due to reduced work, the Nalagarh Truck Operators’ Union (NTOU) has withdrawn the discount (2-10 per cent) offered on freight in August last year for distances up to 150 km. This has come as a blow to the industry, which is battling labour issues and other limitations in view of the pandemic.

The truck union, which has about 10,000 vehicles in its fleet, implemented this decision from August 19, following its executive committee meeting on August 17.

“High inflation coupled with loss of work after truck drivers become Covid-positive are the major reasons for withdrawing this discount. There is no one to compensate the drivers in case he faces loss of work under such circumstances. “We had offered the discount in the hope of getting more work but conversely, due to the reduction in demand, it has become difficult to continue offering the discount,” said Vidya Rattan, president, NTOU.

“Since a large number of drivers have returned to their native places, new drivers have been hired on higher salaries. Not only this, even the repair charges have gone up due to the shortage of experts. The discount was no longer viable,” said Rattan.

He, however, added that they were not averse to restoring the discount if the situation normalised.

The move has drawn the ire of the industry which is preparing to take up the issue with the state government. The higher freight has been a major issue between the industry and transporters in the state and the successive governments have failed to resolve this issue.

Sanjay Khurana, president, Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Industries Association, said it was unfortunate that the union, which was charging almost 40 per cent higher freight, had withdrawn the 12 per cent discount during the pandemic when the industry was facing labour problem and other issues.

He said they would ask the government to restore their rights and allow them to hire trucks from outside and not force them to pay higher freight to the local truck union. Khurana said, “A truck bound for Sikkim was hired for Rs 20,000 less freight from Chandigarh after I failed to get one from the local union despite asking them well in advance.”

He said with the reduced demand and shortage of labour plaguing the industry, the state government should put an end to the monopoly of the local union.

Other industry associations such as the Nalagarh Industries Association, Himachal Drug Manufacturers Association, Laghu Udyog Bharti, HP Corrugated Box Manufacturers Association and HP State Steel Industry Association have also lent their support to the issue.

It has become a ticklish problem ahead of the panchayat and civic body polls as truckers are a major votebank of the government.