Bangalore: Sand truckers' strike may continue for another week

With the authorities concerned not in a hurry to chalk out an amicable solution, the ongoing strike by sand lorry owners is expected to continue for one more week, thus causing much hindrance in the construction activities in the city.

Speaking with dna, B Channa Reddy, president, Karnataka Lorry Owners’ Association, said the government has to take initiative to identify sand deposits as early as possible. “We are ready to call off the strike and resume transporting sand if the government doesn’t register cases against lorry drivers for supplying sand from private sand suppliers. The government want us to transport sand from authorised agents,” Reddy said.

Sand lorries stopped plying from December 20. It has resulted in sand prices shooting up to Rs 50,000 to Rs 80,000. The lorry owners have been demanding that the government withdraw penal clause of Section 379 Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules, 2013, which imposes a two-year imprisonment for illegal sand mining and transportation.

On Monday, minister for law and parliamentary affairs TB Jayachandra said the government was looking at the legal implication of withdrawing cases and also releasing over hundreds of trucks seized for transporting sand illegally.