Truck movement `normal` in East

"We have not joined the countrywide truck strike and the situation is normal with regular truck movement reported from districts as well as from neighbouring Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and North-East region," Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators' Associations General Secretary Satyajit Majumder said.

Considering the floods in West and East Midnapore districts, the Federation has decided to keep truck movement normal for reaching relief materials, he said.

"Our 18 district Associations and 125 other truckowners' Associations are not participating in the nationwide strike, called by the Motor Transport Congress," he said.

Citing reasons for not joining the strike, he said, "Truckers and transporters have been exempted from paying service tax. The other three demands of the Motor Congress do not have any potential."

He claimed that movement of trucks, tankers and mini trucks was normal in the state. Truck movement was also normal in railway sidings, ports and the seven Export Processing Zones, Majumder said.