Southern States - Karnataka   

Lorry owners threaten stir

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE DEC. 14. The Karnataka Goods Transport Association and the Bangalore City Lorry Transporting Agents' Association have decided to launch an indefinite strike from December 31 midnight in protest against the decision of the State Government not to allow transport vehicles, which are more than 15 years old, to ply in Bangalore.

The Secretary of the Bangalore City Lorry Transporting Agents' Association, G.R. Shanmugappa, told presspersons here today that there were 1.8 lakh lorries in the State, and 60 per cent of them had been purchased before 1987. A majority of the members of the associations owned only one lorry each, and only a few of them owned a fleet of lorries, he said.

Mr. Shanmugappa said the decision to ban the movement of lorries which were more than 15 years old would affect the owners of the vehicles, as many of them had to repay loans. Besides, daily-wage earners such as drivers, loaders, and cleaners would be rendered unemployed. The ban would also affect the supply of commodities and lead to a sharp rise in prices, he added.

He said that besides lorries, other types of vehicles and small and large-scale industries located in and around the city caused pollution in Bangalore. Adulteration of fuel, and poor and narrow roads that slowed down vehicles were other factors.

Mr. Shanmugappa said emission from diesel-driven vehicles was much less than that from vehicles which used petrol. Trucks accounted for only 5.08 per cent of the vehicles, he added.

He said the associations would launch an indefinite strike if the order banning the movement of transport vehicles which were more than 15 years old was not withdrawn.

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