MUMBAI, Jan 29: The State Transport Department has termed the agitation by tank lorries, which began on January 27, a flop. "While 450 tankers embark petroleum products at Sewri everyday, 854 tankers filled up yesterday alone," Deputy Commissioner (Enforcement) S V Thakur informed Express Newsline.Tankers were running peacefully throughout the state despite the indefinite strike called for by the Maharashtra Tank Lorry Owner's Association (MTLOA) which began on Tuesday midnight, he said.
However, MLTOA President Daljit Singh Bal claimed that the agitation was a `100 per cent success'.
"Petrol pumps are dry and the prices of commodities like vegetables and milk are bound to increase," Bal claimed. MLTOA representatives met the transport commissioner in the city today. "We have told authorities to allow tankers to ply as before after working out a compromise formula," he said.
The MLTOA called for a strike following the state government's measures through the Motor Vehicles Department to checkoverloading of tankers from January 1. Nearly 1 lakh vehicles were checked all over the state by the transport commissionerate and RTO.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
