The sixty-seven-day-long deadlock between the Gautam Adani-led cement company and the truck unions in two districts of Himachal Pradesh came to an end on Monday, February 20.
The strike had been going on since December 16, 2022, in Solan and Bilaspur districts for an upward revision of the freight charges at the cement plants of the company. In retaliation, the Adani group shut down both its cement plants at Darlaghat and Barmana forcing the truckers to remain out of their transport carriage business, rendering them jobless.
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, who flew from Mandi Monday morning for talks with the truck unions and representatives of the company, had earlier announced that an agreement was reached between the group and truck unions at the behest of the government.
“Truck owners and company management in Darlaghat and Barmana have reached an amicable settlement on freight rates. I hope the cement plant will resume their operations and truck unions will get the business as usual,” Sukhu told Outlook, after the meeting.
Sukhu said the Adani company has consented to pay Rs 10.30 per quintal freight for a single exile truck and Rs 9.30 per kilometer for a double axle. "Adani Group CEO, Ajay Kapoor has spoken to me and agreed on the freight. The old formula will continue to apply for the annual freight increase," he added.
Admitting that the dispute over the freight was based on a hike in diesel rates by Rs 3 per litre due to state-imposed GST, the Himachal Pradesh CM said, “I will look into this issue and also other related matters. The topmost priority was to restart the cement plants in order to not cause any further inconvenience to the investors in the state."
He also took note of the truck operators, who are natives of the state, stating that they also have to survive and earn a livelihood. Sukhu further added, "We are here to promote the industries in the State and are committed to providing them with a favorable environment"
Most of the truck operators are those who have lost their lands for setting up industrial plants in the state. There are thousands of others who rely on the operation of the cement plants and the functioning of trucks for their survival. “It’s a humanitarian matter. The government has been able to settle the matter though it took us two months," Sukhu quoted.
The chief minister said that all other issues raised by both sides in the negotiations would also be sorted out at the deputy Commissioner level by DC Solan and Bilaspur respectively.
When contacted, Ram Krishan Sharma, a truck union leader told Outlook that it was a good thing that a settlement has been reached. "The general house of the truck unions will meet to deliberate on the matter, Tuesday. I hope the truckers will take a final call looking at what cement companies proceed with.”
In between the sixty-six-day-long strike, UltraTech Cement, which also owns a plant in Solan's Baga village increased the truck operators' freight tariff rate to Rs 10.71 Per quintal per kilometre.
