Shimla: A thirteen-day-old persistent strike by truck operators has forced the management of Ambuja Cements to shut down operations at the two units of the Dharlaghat plant in Solan district.
The transporters strike has piled up stocks of about 40,000 tons of cement bags and 195,000 tons of clinker, awaiting early dispatch. In all about 3000 trucks are engaged on a daily basis to transport the cement from the plant as it lacks a rail connectivity. The truckers have been on strike since October 7.
Ambuja Cements in which Swiss cement maker Holcim holds stake of about 46 percent produces 3000 tones of cement bags and 15000 tonnes of Clinkers daily at the Darlaghat plant.
Solan district truckers Cooperative Organization’ convener Ram Kishan Thakur said that due to the ongoing stalemate about 3000 truckers were parked and company was bearing a loss of Rs 82 lakh on a daily basis.
He said that company was for a freight of Rs 4300/ in lieu of transporting 9 tonnes cement to its Ropar plant in Punjab from
Darlagaht, which was 25 5 lower than what was agreed upon and was loss propositions to the truckers union.
Moreover Supreme Court orders do not permit carriage of more than 9 tons, he added.
The two plants in Himachal account for about 2.8 million tones production of Ambuja cements, which was 13 percent of the company’s total annual capacity of 22 million tonnes. The company has a capacity to produce three million tonnes per annum in Himachal.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
