Indore: Irked over apathetic attitude of state government, the transporters and truckers of the state have decided to go on the indefinite strike again. The date of the strike will be decided at a meeting on Saturday.
State government had hiked VAT on petrol and diesel by 5% from September 24. Following the hike, the prices of both the fuels shot up and at one point of time they were highest in the country.
The price hike affected common people and revenue of petrol pump owners as the cost of petrol and diesel went up from Rs 5 to Rs 7 per litre, higher than neighboring states. Though the pump owners accepted the VAT hike, truckers and transporters launched a state-wide strike to protest it by stop plying trucks from October 5.
On October 8, negotiations were held between transporters and state transport minister Govind Singh in Bhopal. In this meeting, the minister accepted their demands and assured to lower the hiked VAT by November 15.
“We reminded chief minister Kamal Nath about the promise made by minister through a letter sent to him on November 7. We urged him to act on the promise and offer relief to the common men and transporters by slashing VAT by November 15. But state government failed to act on its promise,” CL Mukati, president of Indore Truck Operators and Transporters Association said. He added, “Government’s deadline to decrease VAT has expired. We feel cheated. That is why we have decided to go on an indefinite strike once again”.
Following VAT hike, transport business is no longer a profitable venture, according to transporters. “We are unable face losses further,” he said.