The Solan District Truck Operators Union, Darlaghat, has issued directions to all transport societies and unions of other states to desist from accepting transportation business for two plants — Ambuja Cements Limited (ACL), Darlaghat, and ACC, Gagal.
The truckers have taken this decision in view of the rising discontent among the transporters following the 20-day stalemate. Given the volatile situation, the truckers engaged by the Adani management could face the backlash of the local transporters if they continued to engage outside transporters at both the plants, said Ramkrishan Sharma, former president of the Ambuja Darlaghat Kashlog Mangu Transport Society.
Though Nalagarh-based cement grinding unit of Adanis was operational with the help of raw materials being transported from Punjab and Rajasthan for a few days, it has now run out of stock.
Efforts to distribute cement to dealers in Himachal from the Nalagarh plant were being resisted by the transporters who were getting the overloaded vehicles challaned. An overloaded vehicle was challaned for Rs 20,000 and Rs 2,000 per ton and it was observed that as against the permissible load of 12 tonnes per truck, vehicles were found carrying up to 18 to 20 tonnes of load.
Heavy challans were acting as a deterrent for the transporters, who were now shying away from being engaged with the Adani management.
Transporters were holding rallies at Darlaghat and Barmana on a daily basis to protest the unilateral closure of cement plants. The Adani management had closed Ambuja Cements Limited (ACL) at Darlaghat in Solan and ACC plant in Bilaspur on December 15 after the transporters failed to accept the lower freight rate of Rs 6 per ton per km.
