Transporters' strike enters fourth day, will intensify

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The ongoing transporters' indefinite strike entered its fourth day yesterday and is set to intensify in the coming days with more and more transport unions at the state, district and taluka level extending their support to the agitation.

Though it has not yet started affecting vegetables and other essential commodities, the longer the strike continues, the more difficult things could get.

Feeling the pinch
"The industry has started to feel the pinch. ASSOCHAM quoted a loss of Rs 20,000-crore on Day 1, which is only multiplying with every passing day. The loss of transport sector alone stands at about Rs 16,000-crore over the last four days," a transporter said.

Condemning an incident in Taloja, where a few trucks were damaged, the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) said it was not their agenda to indulge in such violent protests.

"We would like to state that at AIMTC we do not support or encourage any violent way of agitation and hereby condemn the incident that took place at Navi Mumbai yesterday," said Mumbai-based Bal Malkit Singh, chairman of AIMTC's core committee.

Agitation to intensify
"Today as well, peaceful rallies, protests and dharnas were held at toll plazas and ports. The movement from ports, refineries, harbours, petrochemical units, and white goods, FMCG, steel, coal, cement, granite and other industrial units, has been stopped; our agitation will only intensify in the coming days. Till date, there has been no indication from the government that it wants to resolve the issues," Singh added.

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