PONDA: After the Congress, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) leaders expressed support to the agitating truck owners. Ponda MLA Lavu Mamledar, who is also the MGP General Secretary, said that since the livelihood of mining dependents is affected the party is supporting the truck owners.
He said truck owners, their families and mining dependent people suffered a lot, including heavy cost on maintenance of vehicles, therefore it is an injustice to pay them low rates. Since it is a business, mine owners and truck owners should be in continuous discussion till the issue is resolved.
All Goa Truck Owners Association (AGTOA) president Nilkant Gawas appealed to MGP leaders Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar to clear his stand on the agitation. The PWD minister, when contacted by Herald, said he is in favour of reasonable rates for truck owners and that they should not blame him over the current rate war.
He said in 2012 he was involved in fixing rates for transportation which were above Rs 11 but now Mines Department officials are responsible for problems created on rates for ore transportation.
He said he was not taken into confidence by the Mines department while fixing new rates for e-auctioned ore transportation and hence truck owners should not blame him for the prevailing rates.
