Lorry owners stick to strike call; talks inconclusive

Kochi, Mar 28 (UNI) Lorry owners in Kerala today remained firm on their decision to go on a state-wide strike from the midnight of March 31 with the first round of talks with Transport Secretary Jiji Thomson failing to meet the demands raised by them.

A spokesman for the lorry operators, including tankers, goods and LPG carriers told reporters after the talks here that they had raised three main issues relating to road tax and speed governors in today's discussions.

As the government team, including Mr Thomson and District Collector A P Mohammad Haneesh, had failed to satisfactorily address these issues, they would not withdraw the strike call.

Mr Thomson said that he would carry the proposals back to the government for discussions and there would be another round of talks with the lorry operators before March 31.

The lorry operators want a withdrawal of the ten per cent hike in road tax, proposed in the state budget this year. They have also contended that while the other southern states were not insisting on the installation of speed governors, the Kerala government's insistence on this was ''discriminatory''.

Lorries registered outside Kerala would continue to ply here without speed governors, they said. They also want the state government to put the case properly before the Supreme Court.

Mr Thomson said while he would take up the issue of the road tax with the government, the installation of speed governors was mandatory, as per the Supreme Court orders.

UNI