Odisha Truck Owners’ Association To Join Nationwide Truckers Stir

Angul: The Odisha State Truck Owners’ Federation (OSTOF) will join the nationwide truckers stir call given by the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), beginning July 20.

The major demands of the AIMTC are rollback hike in fuel price, inclusion of petrol and diesel under GST purview, disbanding toll gates on National Highways, no hike in third-party insurance, no collection of TDS premium and simplification of rules for direct loading and unloading of raw materials in ports.

“The Centre has been assuring us to fulfil our demands but it has not taken any step till date. As a result, the truck owners are not able to deposit their EMI (equated monthly instalment) in banks,” AIMTC president SK Mittal told mediapersons here on Saturday.

OSTOF president Bibhuti Das said the Federation has extended its support to the AIMTC and will join the nationwide strike which will begin from 6 am on July 20.

Keeping the nationwide truckers stir in view, the Odisha government on June 4 had invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), 1988.

In a notification, the Home department said the ESMA order will remain in force for six months. During the period, no transport association in the state can go on a strike and action would be taken against those violating the order.

The department has also made it clear that the strike by the mineral transport association would incur huge revenue loss to state government as well as the Centre.