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Container trailer operators at the Kochi port have decided to put off an indefinite strike by a day following a call from the Government for a meeting to resolve the issues: harassment by the Motor Vehicles Department and fine by the Regional Transport officials for overweight cargo.
If they fail to arrive at a consensus, the agitation would start from Tuesday, Mr P.Ramachandran, President of the Cochin Container Carrier Owners Welfare Association, said.
The strike will affect shippers, exporters/importers, port community and Exim trade at large. Various chambers of commerce have called for intervention of the State Government to resolve the issue of container transporters.
Mr Ramachandran alleged that the movement of trailer trucks carrying containers are obstructed and unnecessarily harassed on the way by the RT Authorities all over Kerala and huge amounts of fine are imposed for overweight carried.
He pointed out that the containers are designed and manufactured in accordance with international standards, specifications and carrying weight capacities and not adherent to tonnage capacity of trucks manufactured in India.
The trailers are attached to trucks to carry containers of international standards, which, he said, are being used across the country without authorities taking issue.
The weight of the cargo in the containers cannot be reduced to suit the needs of the exporter or importer in India as the cargo in the container has to be stuffed according to the buyer's requirements and according to relative letter of credit.
Mr Deepak L. Aswani, Chairman of the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the action of the Motor Vehicles Department will adversely affect the Kochi Port and ICTT and force diversion of cargo to neighbouring Ports. The Chamber has submitted representations to the Chief Minister and the Transport Minister requesting intervention in the matter with the stakeholders such as officials of the Port Trust, Cochin SEZ, ICTT, representatives of various chambers, user bodies to avoid the possible strike and the undue hardships to the trading community.
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