SHIMLA: The protracted shutdown of Gautam Adani’s Barmana and Darlaghat cement plants due to the "Freight Charges" dispute, has become an Albatross around the Sukhu government's neck in Himachal Pradesh.
Industries Association of the state has sought legal intervention to resolve the matter related to the freight charges.
On the other hand, BJP and CPIM and its trade unions have also thrown their hat in the ring to get a political mileage out of the prolonged dispute.
BJP is accusing the Sukhu government of forcing the shutdown of two major Cement factories soon after he formed the Congress government a month ago.
Further, the hike in VAT on petrol and diesel has further complicated the “mess” for Chief Minister Sukhu.
This hike has come as a shot in the arms for the truckers engaged in the freight dispute with Adani Cement.
The hike has given the truckers an excuse to charge the same or higher freight as the VAT hike has made the petrol and diesel expensive in Himachal.
Truckers' unions claim that they have made an investment of life time to buy trucks to be placed in the cement plants for transportation.
"We have not been able to pay bank instalments due to adamant attitude of the companies and failure of the government to resolve the issue", they plead.
It is an open secret that Truckers’ unions in Barmana and Darlaghat act as a “united cartel when it comes to the freight charges issue with the industries in the state”.
Adani Cement freshly pleads that it is not the only firm in the State that has been facing the issue of the excessive freight rates being charged by the private truck unions.
Several other companies and industries present in Himachal too are facing a similar challenge from the recalcitrant Truckers .
The truck unions interfere in the transportation-related activities of the industries, the companies charged.
Industries also face the problem of illegal detaining of trucks or vehicles or by collecting illegal fees or in any manner whatsoever by truck unions in Himachal Pradesh.
Adani cement claims that due to the adamant stand of the truck unions, demanding exorbitant freight rates the Adani Cement was forced to shut down its two cement plants in the state as this has made their operations unviable.
Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh(BBN) industries Association has also chipped in support of Adani Cement support its demand for reasonable freight charges and giving free run to the industries to hire its own transporters.
Due to similar issues faced by industries present in the Una district, the industries association had knocked the door of High Court of Himachal Pradesh, where a case is still pending for adjudication in this matter.
Adani Cement pleads that petition seeks relief from the High Court that the State may be directed to act upon the representations of the industries association.
The association has sought to ensure that industries are able to ply their own trucks or trucks procured from any other source of their choice without any obstruction from the private respondent truck union.
But the truckers’ unions claim that it is the duty of the state government to protect the interest of truckers as they have given land to the cement companies for their plants.
On the other, the petition also seeks relief that the State may further be directed to regulate the excessive freight rates charged by the private respondent truck union.
All things considered, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh literally an albatross around his neck.
Sukhu had sought an amiable settlement of the issue, but to no avail so far.
Before Chief Minister could invite truckers’ unions and Adani cement for talks to resolve the prolonged dispute, industries association moved to the High Court that has created an atmosphere of distrust among all stakeholders.
BBN Association and Adani cement demand the state Government should create a congenial atmosphere and maintain law and order in the industrial areas to enable industries to carry on with their trade/business peacefully without interruption.
Sukhu has announced that public would get cement at cheaper rates in the state.
