The President of Tamil Nadu Sand Lorry Owners Federation S. Yuvaraj opens up on the lorry industry and transportation of sand using lorries in the state. The formation of a federation for sand lorry owners, key challenges, diesel price, toll and lorry insurance are a few among many issues discussed in this exclusive interaction with M. Stephen.
When and for what purpose was the Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners Federation formed?
The Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners Federation was formed in the year 2004. Earlier, independent associations were formed in each district and small cities across Tamil Nadu to fight for the rights of lorry owners. There were also other issues such as the safety of lorry owners and the control of the sand mafia. We needed a very strong state-wide unit to fight against the sand mafia and to convey our opinions to the government. And this led to the formation of the Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners Federation.
The government started selling sand from the year 2003, prior to which private parties controlled the sand sector. However, after the government started selling sand in 2004, middlemen entered the field saying that they were filtering the sand. They then became loaders for the government and eventually entered the sand trading business. The federation was therefore started to address all such issues.
What are the difficulties in transporting sand?
During the time of private operators we would take the trucks into the river to scoop out and load the sand. In 2003 the government stopped the entry of heavy vehicles into water bodies due to the damage caused to the river beds. The sand was then first brought out to the river banks and then loaded. At that time only trucks that were in a very good condition could enter the river. Now, it has become easier to load sand and this has attracted more players into this sector. As such, it has become more competitive.
Does the transport of sand have any particular rules to be followed?
To avoid theft of sand from the various rivers, the government has laid down some strict rules and only those with a valid permit and authorised bills can transport sand. The Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners Federation ensures that only authorised persons operate in this sector and that there is no loss of revenue to the government. Of course thefts do take place in some rural areas where such things cannot be monitored on a regular basis.
What are the main problems faced by the sand lorry owners in Tamil Nadu?
The problems are associated with being on the road day and night. This creates unnecessary delays on the road. A quarry owner gives four hours’ time to a lorry owner to transport sand from the quarry to the city. In between one has to face problems related to loading and unloading, traffic blocks, delays caused by officials, documentation, and so on.
How many associations function under your federation?
There are 32 associations under the Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners Federation.
In terms of percentage, how much does the sand lorry segment contribute to the growth of the country?
The sand lorry transport segment contributes more than 60-70% to the country’s growth. After agriculture, the construction industry is the second largest industry in the country and is directly dependent on the availability of sand.
According to you, what is the current status of the truck business and how will it take shape in the future?
The industry is facing several problems due to increase in diesel price, toll, and insurance. The government does not offer any training to drivers or any other benefits for their wellbeing. This is a sore point considering that we are paying crores of rupees to the government by way of road tax, diesel cess and toll fees. Even during the pandemic, the government took no cognizance of the drivers who were undertaking a huge risk by transporting essentials. While the work of healthcare professionals and others was lauded, our drivers were not paid any attention.
Several drivers died due to the corona virus but the government did not pay any compensation to the families of the deceased. As regards the future of the lorry business, as of now the drivers are moving towards becoming lorry owners but a lorry owner’s son will refuse to enter this business. The sand lorry owners will therefore veer towards the logistics sector. Companies will begin to take over the ownership of the vehicles. For a company it makes sense to own as many trucks as they can since the overall cost gets reduced. For example, they can save on insurance and maintenance.
What is the concern regarding lorry insurance?
Along with the rising cost of diesel and toll fees, insurance is a big issue because it is very high unlike other sectors. Also, the policies are very lopsided, and it is very difficult to get any insurance claims from the insurers. For example, even if a two-wheeler rider dies under the wheels of a lorry due to his or her mistake, it is the lorry driver who will be blamed, and the onus falls on the lorry owner to pay compensation. We would like lorry insurance to be managed by the government instead of the private companies who are only out in lorry business to fleece the lorry owners.
Could you list some of the achievements of the Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners Federation so far?
We have been fighting for the rights of the lorry owners. We have also been raising our voice against issues such as increase in road tax, diesel prices and toll fees. We come to the help of any lorry owner who faces transportation issues. We have presented a petition to the government for levying a one-time toll fee akin to a national permit, but it has not been considered so far. The government now wants to make it mandatory to scrap a vehicle after 15 years. But it has not considered the fact that it is not possible to recoup an investment of about Rs 50 lakhs per lorry over a period of just 15 years.
Does your federation work alongside other associations?
We organise a meeting every month with the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) to discuss various issues. We then apprise Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and State Transport Minister S . S Sivasankar about our stand on such issues. There are several small associations throughout the state and they bring their problems to the Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners Federation. We then take these problems to the South India Transport Federation and to the AIMTC so that everyone stays in the loop.