Indefinite Truck Strike Announced in Tamil Nadu Delta Districts
The State Lorry Owners Federation has declared an indefinite truck strike across five crucial delta districts in Tamil Nadu, set to commence on February 16. This drastic action follows the state government's failure to respond to demands for relaxing the recent hike in renewal fees for heavy vehicle fitness certificates.
Escalation from Previous Protests
This announcement represents a significant escalation from previous protests. On February 12, truck owners conducted a one-day strike in Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai districts. During that action, they submitted formal petitions to respective district collectors while state representatives presented their demands to various secretaries in Chennai.
The core demand remains consistent: the federation urges the state government to either withdraw or substantially relax the fees increased by the Union government for heavy vehicle fitness certificates. "Despite submitting petitions to officials, the state government has not relaxed the renewal fees for heavy vehicle fitness certificates. Therefore, we are commencing an indefinite statewide strike, beginning in the delta districts on February 16," announced C Dhanaraj, president of the federation, on Saturday.
Critical Impact on Paddy Procurement Operations
The timing of this strike could not be more critical for agricultural operations in the region. The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) is currently engaged in procuring paddy from farmers at direct procurement centers (DPCs) for both the samba and thaladi crop seasons.
This procured paddy is being transported via trucks to various destinations including warehouses, open storage points, hulling mills, and train wagons for further distribution. The impending strike threatens to completely disrupt this essential supply chain.
Projected Daily Transport Disruptions
The strike is expected to severely hamper daily paddy transport operations across the affected districts. Projected daily transport volumes that stand to be disrupted include:
- 10,000 tonnes in Thanjavur district
- 8,000 tonnes in Tiruvarur district
- 3,000 tonnes in Mayiladuthurai district
- 2,000 tonnes in Nagapattinam district
- 1,000 tonnes in Trichy district
These substantial volumes represent the daily movement of paddy from direct procurement centers to storage and processing facilities. The federation's decision to begin their indefinite strike in the delta districts specifically targets this critical agricultural transport corridor during peak procurement season.
The standoff between truck owners and the state government continues as the February 16 deadline approaches, with significant implications for both the transport sector and agricultural supply chains in Tamil Nadu's vital delta region.
