Lorry owners in Ballari seek hike in freight rates for sponge iron transportation
The Hindu
Ballari District Lorry Owners Association strike for freight rate hike receives good response; Deputy Commissioner promises meeting with industry stakeholders.
The strike called by the Ballari District Lorry Owners Association demanding a hike in freight rate for sponge iron manufacturing industries received a good response in that district on Thursday.
Deputy Commissioner Prashant Kumar Mishra, who met the protestors near Halakundi Mutt, tried to persuade the lorry owners to call off their protest saying that he will hold a meeting with the Sponge Iron Factory Association and Sponge Iron Industries Owners on Monday to discuss an increase in freight price.
However, Lorry Owners Association president V. Sreenivasalu was not convinced by the officer’s appeal and demanded that he convene the meeting immediately, so that the long-pending issue can be solved.
“Due to the inadequate rental rates for freight, we [lorry owners] have been suffering losses for a long time. The factory owners should immediately fulfill our demands,” Mr. Sreenivasalu added.
More than 200 Lorry owners and drivers along with their lorries participated in the agitation.