Truckers raise banner of revolt

Tribune News Service

Solan, January 31

Hundreds of transporters raised a banner of revolt here today against the management of Ultra Tech Cement plant at Bagha in Arki sub-division for failing to give them adequate transportation work.

United under the banner of Mangal Land Losers and Affected Transportation Society, nearly 500 to 600 transporters marched towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office and urged the district administration to grant them their due.

A representative of the truckers said they had bought multi-axle trucks each worth Rs 30 lakh to Rs 35 lakh after the management of Ultra Tech Cement entered into an agreement with them that they would provide them transportation work of 1500 metric ton per day. But instead of honouring this agreement, the plant management has been giving them transportation work of barely 300 metric ton per day which was too meagre to meet their expenses.

The truckers rued that they were unable to pay back bank installments for purchasing the multi-axle trucks. Finance companies were confiscating their vehicles. Despite taking up the issue with the plant management several times, they have refused to adhere to the agreement.

The peeved truckers said they have come to Solan today to seek the intervention of the district administration in resolving this issue and said they were not asking anything more but only demanded that the company should adhere to the terms of the agreement.

They added that in case the company management failed to agree to their demand, they would intensify their agitation and would also meet the Chief Minister.

The truckers also rued that the company management first bought their land on the promise of providing them employment but now it had backtracked leaving them in the lurch with neither land nor employment being available to them. They submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner and urged him to intervene and grant them their due.

‘Going back on agreement’

• Truckers said they had bought multi-axle trucks each worth Rs 30 lakh to Rs 35 lakh after the management entered into an agreement with them that they would provide them transportation work of 1500 metric ton per day.
• But instead of honouring this agreement, the plant management has been giving them transportation work of barely 300 metric ton per day
• They rued that they were unable to pay back bank installments for purchasing the trucks.
• Plant management has refused to adhere to the agreement.