New Delhi, Friday 09 Jan 2008: The transporters’ strike is hitting people hard. Since December 5 when the strike began, prices have nearly doubled. Truckers want the price of diesel to be cut by Rs 10. They are also demanding withdrawal of the service tax they have to pay. However, most truckers bringing fruits and vegetables to Delhi’s mandis have not joined the nationwide strike.

However, most truckers bringing fruits and vegetables to Delhi’s mandis have not joined the nationwide strike.

Wholesale trader in Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi says that although there has been no disruption in the supply so far, nominal rise at the wholesalers’ end is visible.

“There is a small hike in some vegetables like onions and tomatoes,” wholesale trader at Azadpur Mandi said.

Though the supply of the vegetables has been intact so far, the panic perhaps has triggered off fluctuations in the prices of vegetables. It is certainly being felt at the retailer’s end.

Since the truckers’ strike began, the price of tomatoes has shot up from Rs 8 to Rs 12 per kilo. Onions cost Rs 4 more than earlier. Spinach, which was Rs 8 a kilo, is now Rs 12. And capsicum has jumped from Rs 25 to Rs 32 a kilo.

The Delhi government has ordered truckers to get back to work under the Essential Services Maintainance Act (ESMA). But truckers say, they’re defying that order.