Bhubaneswar: The all Orissa State Truck Owners’ Association called off its proposed strike December 15 after having a meeting with state Commerce and Transport Minister Nrusingha Charan Sahu here Thursday.
The association has threatened to go for an indefinite strike to press for their 11-point charter of demands, including abolition of green tax imposed on trucks older than 15 years. The government has accepted some of the demands of the association while it has sought one month’s time to execute other demands including abolition of the green tax. A committee headed by transport commissioner has been formed to look into the demands of the association and take necessary action within a month, said Sahu.
“The state government has unilaterally imposed a green tax of `4,000 each on trucks older than 15 years. We urged the government to abolish the tax. The panel headed by transport commissioner will take a decision in this regard within a month,” said the association secretary Rabi Narayan Satpathy.
According to Satpathy, the state government has imposed 26 per cent additional tax on diesel despite stiff opposition from truckers. They also demanded to waive off the tax. Truckers are at a receiving end due to highhandedness of junior MVIs, RTO personnel and policemen, who are collecting huge subscriptions from truck drivers on roads, Satpathy rued. The minister has assured the association to take necessary action to stop the illegal practice, he added.
PNN
