12 January,2009 04:56 PM IST | | PTI
In an effort to end the truckers' strike, which is more than a week old, members of the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) met government officials ahead of the state transporters meeting with the Centre.
"We have met transport ministry officials and will be meeting them again in the afternoon. We have asked the release our arrested leaders besides pressing for our earlier demands," AIMTC member Roshan Lal Gorakhpuria, who is also the Chairman of the All India All India Transporters' Welfare Association (AITWA) said.
However, the government officials declined to comment on the development. Transport Minister TR Baalu is scheduled to meet state transport ministers this afternoon to deal with situation arising out of the strike by transporters.
The transporters have been demanding for reduction in diesel prices by Rs 10 per litre, unrestricted imports of tyre, a single national permit and reduction in toll taxes among others.
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The meeting between striking truckers and government officials on Monday is the first after AIMTC president Charan Singh Lohara and Secretary S Venugopal was arrested on January 9 after the Delhi government invoked Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).
Many other states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Haryana and Gujarat, have invoked ESMA to deal with the strike, even as smaller transporter bodies in states like Maharashtra have announced their withdrawal from the strike.
SC to wait for outcome of talks
The Supreme Court today said it will wait and watch the outcome of the negotiations between the government and truckers on the ongoing nation-wide strike which has entered its eighth day.
The apex court noted that there have been reports that the government has taken some steps for resolving the deadlock and already there are signs that trucks are back on road in some states like Maharashtra.
"We have come to know that the Transport Ministry has summoned leaders of the transport associations to discuss the issue," a Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan said when a petition relating to the truckers' strike came for hearing before it.
