BENGALURU: Lorry owners from across Karnataka have warned of going on a strike if Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai does not intervene to reduce the price of diesel, abolish check-posts at state borders, scuttle the sand mining policy and stop implementing the vehicle scrappage policy.
The Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners’ and Agents’ Association has given the state government a deadline of 30 days to fulfil their demands. In a press conference on Friday, the association leaders said the vehicle scrappage policy was unscientific as the decision to increase the fees for fitness certificate and registration of vehicles that are more than 15 years was just aimed at scrapping of such vehicles. They urged the state government to revert the hike in fees as it burdened the owners who own one or two vehicles.
“The state government has to reduce the prices of fuel when transport charges are still the same. Diesel price in Karnataka may be lower compared to other states, but the sharp increase in fuel prices in the last fortnight is severely affecting the sector,” association president G R Shanmugappa said.
The association further sought abolition of all border check-posts, on the lines of a few other states, as all the services of check-posts have shifted online. Transporters are being harassed at check-posts and it need to be abolished, the federation urged.
The association also wanted the government to allow lorries to transport sand. They also pointed out about previous meetings with the government on the issue which did not bear any results.