Shimla, Feb 3 (IANS) The All India Motor Transport Congress on Friday announced it would support the Himachal-based truck unions’ ‘chakka jam’ protest in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday against the Adani-owned cement plants.
All India Motor Transport Congress Chairman Kultaran Singh Atwal announced support to the transporters in Himachal Pradesh who are waging a fight against the Adani plants in Barmana and Darlaghat that have been closed over the freight issue for nearly two months.
He said the new management of the cement plants is taking unrealistic and adamant attitude over the freight issue and said the company “is exploiting the transporters in order to maximise its profit”.
The unilateral step of the company to close the cement plants has affected one lakh families in the hill state, he said in a statement.
Atwal said it is normal practice to increase freights over input cost and fuel hike. “Instead of hiking the freight charges, the company is hell-bent to reduce the freight charges which has never happened in the country so far,” he said.
Strike of nearly 6,000 truck operators entered the 50th day on Friday and there appears to be no resolution despite intervention by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu asking the transporters to amicably decide a lower freight.
Also the government has tried to convince officials of the Adani group to end the stalemate of the two cement plants that were earlier owned by ACC and Ambuja Cement.
–IANS
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