PALAKKAD: The movement of lorries carrying goods through the Walayar check-post was almost half than the normal daily traffic on Sunday, the third day of the indefinite strike called nationwide by the All India Motor Transport Congress and supported by the Kerala State Lorry Owners Federation (KSLOF). However, authorities posted at the check-post tried to play it down, saying the flow of vehicles through the check-post was generally lower on Sundays as the markets were closed.
“Around 450 lorries and tempos used to arrive every day with vegetables. However, only 200 vehicles arrived today. Since markets are closed on Sundays, the flow of vehicles is generally lower,” they said.
A prominent vegetable wholesale dealer who supplies vegetables to northern districts of the state said KSLOF members were blocking their lorries entering Kerala.
The lorry operators have called the strike in protest against the rise in fuel prices and the increase in third-party insurance premium of goods vehicles. KSLOF state general secretary M Nandakumar told Express on an average, 2,000 goods lorries reach Kerala daily.
“However, only 400-odd vehicles are arriving daily through Walayar. Vehicles carrying essential commodities like vegetables, milk and oxygen, besides gas and fuel tankers, are not being blocked. However, we will resort to blocking them also if the Centre does not initiate talks by Tuesday,” said Nandakumar.
He said vegetable wholesale dealers in Palakkad town and Koduvayur had their own vehicles and went to Ottanchathiram, Pollachi and other rural areas of Tamil Nadu to bring vegetables. The vehicles were not being blocked, he said.“Some stray incidents of the vehicles being blocked might have taken place though,” he said.
Prices rise
The prices of vegetables and fruits have started to rise as the arrival of goods vehicles slowed down. P Uma, district manager of Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam, said the condition of domestic production was also very bad as leaves of bitter gourd and other vegetable plants cultivated in Elavancherry had turned yellow due to heavy rain in the last fortnight. The second largest industrial belt in the state in Kanjikode has also been affected as steel, textile and cement units depend on contract lorries, who have also joined the strike.
Supply crisis looms large
Kochi: Markets across the state are feeling the pinch as the indefinite lorry strike entered its fourth day on Monday. The Kerala State Lorry Owners’ Federation had decided to join the indefinite strike by goods lorries called by the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) from July 20 to press their various demands. “The retail prices of fruits and vegetables have gone by 20 per cent as there is a definite shortfall in supply,” said Subin of M K traders based in Kochi.
Shiju George of Valiyapadathil, a wholesale enterprise in Kadavanthara, said the supply has indeed reduced by 30-40 per cent, but the prices are kept fairly isolated from fluctuations as Tamil Nadu-based trucking agencies that are staying away from the strike had already hiked the fares owing to the diesel price increase a few months ago. Shiju, however, warned the shortfall is definitely going to push the prices up north in the coming days.
Kerala State Vyapari Vyavasayi Samithi treasurer Binny Immatty demanded the Centre to quickly act on the demands raised by the protesters to end the stalemate. “With each passing day, the supplies entering Kerala are drastically coming down, resulting in inflation,” said Binny.