Andhra Pradesh

Row over commission to hamalis ends

VIZIANAGARAM: The row over payment of commission to hamalis at loading and unloading points by fair price shop dealers was resolved at a meeting chaired by Joint Collector B. Ramaiah on Wednesday. The hamalis struck work at all godowns after the dealers’ association decided not to pay commission to them. As a result, the lifting of Rs. 2-a-kg rice has been crippled since April 26.

After the talks, dealers’ association president B. Venkateswara Rao told this correspondent that the Joint Collector assured them that their problem would be settled in two months. The Civil Supplies Corporation would pay Rs. 2 per quintal to hamalis for loading and the FP dealers must have to pay Rs. 2 for unloading at their shops. He said that they would not be able to pay commission to hamalis in the present circumstances as the administration had been strictly following the guidelines.

The association president said the assurance given to it two years ago that the commission of Rs. 12.92 per quintal that was being paid for the past two decades would be increased to Rs. 20 was not honoured. However, in the interest of the poor, the association had decided to pay them the commission for two more months when the association would plan action, he said. A total quantity of 75,453.54 quintals for 5,30152 BPL families, 18,151 quintals for 51,860 AAY families and 207.70 quintals for 2077 Annapoorna beneficiaries were needed every month for the district.

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