Truckers to strike on August 18

SALEM: The South Zone Motor Transport Welfare Association announced that its members would strike work from August 18 midnight seeking fulfillment of their demands. Around 16 lakh lorries from Southern states and another eight lakh from Maharashtra and Mumbai Port Trust would participate.
"If the government does not heed to our demands, we will give a breather of 10 days. After that, the All India Motor Transport Congress will launch a nationwide strike," association president G R Shanmugappa said. They called for a CBI inquiry against former union minister for shipping and surface transport T R Baalu in connection with highways tollgate allocation.Shanmugappa said Baalu was instrumental in passing a bill in 2008 enabling private players to gain profit from the roads laid under the BOT scheme.