Kerala - Kochi

Supply of perishables to be hit by lorry stir

KOCHI: The national strike by goods transporters and the agitation by officers in public-sector oil companies have together added to people’s misery.

Many traders and vendors have hiked the price of vegetables and fruits, despite there being no real scarcity for these commodities in the market. “While most lorries from Maharashtra have stopped arriving, those from Ooty and the southern areas of Karnataka have been bringing in vegetables. They too may stop service any time. Most merchants have stock of rice and grains up to February, since it is brought in railway wagons,” said K.A. Naseer, street-wise convenor of the Kerala Merchants’ Union and a vegetables and grains trader.

The actual shortage of perishables would begin from Friday and Saturday because of the fuel shortage being experienced in most parts of the State and the subsequent non-availability of goods carriers. Goods transporters are reportedly preventing the movement of lorries registered in their State, to other States. “This has resulted in lorry owners declining to run trips. Ten-tonne lorries are unwilling to conduct service from Maharashtra to Kerala, despite the offer of Rs.32,000. The normal rent is Rs.22,000,” Mr. Naseer said.

There are reports that unscrupulous traders have hoarded commodities and fuel, further affecting people’s lives.

The general secretary of the Kerala State Lorry Owners’ Federation A. Jayaprakash said the strike by oil-sector officers has added to their woes by affecting even the intra-State service of lorries.

“Each lorry operator has been suffering an average loss of Rs.500 each day because of the two agitations. The workers have to be paid wages and welfare funds, apart from the fact that we pay vehicles insurance and tax for a year in advance. This is apart from the monthly repayment of loans. The strike has affected the operations of around 75,000 lorries in Kerala with national and inter-state permits,” he said.

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