Transport of goods not hit by lorry strike

HYDERABAD:  With lorry operators’ strike entering fourth day, the transport department has taken several measures to ensure the movement of essential commodities is not affected. The department is co-ordinating with the police, civil supplies department, APSRTC and the oil companies.The strike which began on August 18 has received strong support from heavy goods vehicles’ operators who have stopped plying their vehicles. The district transport authorites informed that in Karimnagar and Nizamabad, heavy goods vehicles were plying and these districts have not faced the brunt of the strike. Meanwhile, inter-state movement of vehicles from Orissa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and northern states have commenced and the situation is better now. Besides light goods vehicles have not stopped their services. Tankers carrying LPG and POL are also functioning except Vijayawada. Three tankers near Vijayawada belonging to IOC, HPCL and BPCL were facing problems as they have trouble with the tanker owners. Since, majority of the terminals were functioning, there will not be any problem for petrol and diesel for the next two days.  The transport department is providing the district authorities whenever there is a request with heavy and lights goods vehicles for movement of PDS, fertilisers, seeds and other essential commodities. Transport commissioner Hiralal Samaria said there is no problem for movement of essential commodities in any of the districts at present and no untoward incident has been reported till now.