TIRUVARUR/NAGAPATTINAM: Movement of paddy from Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) to storage points in the Cauvery delta districts was affected for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as the strike by lorry owners continued. The transporters are protesting against the steep hike in Fitness Certificate (FC) renewal fees introduced under the Central Motor Vehicles (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2025.
An official attached to a DPC of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) in Tiruvarur told TNIE that procurement had been progressing smoothly until two days ago, aided by the early opening of Cover and Plinth (CAP) storage points compared to the previous Kuruvai season. “Samba paddy procurement is currently at its peak. With lorries off the road, paddy bags have started piling up at the DPCs,” the official said.
Another procurement official said that at least 2.5 lakh bags are currently stocked at 68 DPCs functioning in the Tiruthuraipoondi and Muthupettai areas of the district. Normally, the procured paddy is transported to CAP storage yards and warehouses. However, with transportation disrupted, the bags are being retained at the DPCs.
“If the situation persists, DPCs may soon run short of space,” the official cautioned, adding that procurement activities are nevertheless continuing. N R Pandian, Tiruvarur district secretary of the lorry owners’ association, said the strike was total in the district and had affected the movement of goods, including paddy bags from procurement centres. In Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts, officials said DPCs currently have adequate storage space as procurement has not yet peaked.
In Mayiladuthurai, six vehicles from cooperative societies are being utilised to transport paddy. Meanwhile, the lorry owners’ association in Thanjavur district has not joined the strike so far. Under the revised fee structure, FC renewal charges have been increased to over Rs 12,500 for vehicles above 15 years old and more than Rs 25,000 for those over 20 years, compared to the earlier uniform fee of around Rs 850 per year.