Lorry owners in Kerala on Wednesday called off their six-day-old strike

The strike, which partly affected movement of goods in the State, was settled at talks that a four-member ministerial team held with the lorry owners associations here. Lorry Owners Federation president, K K Hamsa, said the strike was being called off in view of the difficulties it posed to public.

The Government agreed to reschedule the owners' arrears to workers welfare fund into 27 instalments and make arrangements for payment of the amount in all Regional Transport Office and Joint Regional Transport Offices.

However,the government did not yield to the truckers' main demand of limiting the employers' cess to Rs 200 per vehicle instead of Rs 200 per worker which was the norm earlier.
Transport Minister, Mathew T Thomas, who led the talks, told reporters that the grievances of the truck-owners would be looked into by the cabinet sub-commmittee on Oct. 31.