Public feels pinch of price hike as lorry strike enters day 2

Chennai, Jul 3 (UNI) The indefinite strike by the truck owners demanding rationalising the prices of diesel entered the second day today, even as the public started feeling the pinch of the rising prices of essential items, especially vegetables.

More than 55,000 trucks were off the roads as the All India Motor Transport Congress, the apex body of the truck owners, stuck to their demand and wanted immediate rollback of the hike in toll tax and rationalisation of duty on diesel.

Though the school vans, which kept off the roads yesterday, resumed their services, bringing smiles on the faces of the parents, movement of goods was affected badly.

Farmers were worried a lot due to piling up of perishable commodities like vegetables.

The strike has led to increase in prices of vegetables and the public, especially the lower class, hoped that an early solution would be found to the impasse.

Truck owners said the real effect of their agitation would be known only after two or three days.

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