Have spoken to HP CM for ending deadlock between Adani-owned cement plants, truckers: Anurag Thakur

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said he has spoken to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for an early settlement to the dispute between the Adani Group-owned cement plants in Bilaspur and Solan districts and truck unions.

The cement plants at Barmana (Bilaspur district) and Darlaghat (Solan district) have closed operations due to a dispute over freight charges, and operators engaged in the carriage of cement and clinkers are on the roads. “Truck operators are our family members. We will find a solution as the situation is serious due to closure of two cement plants, which has caused losses to truck operators and the state,” the Union information and broadcasting minister said after meeting here with unions representing truckers engaged with the cement plants.

Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, state BJP chief Suresh Kashyap and BJP MLA from Sri Nainadevi, Randhir Sharma, were also present at the meeting.

“I had talks with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Shkhu and his cabinet ministers for early an settlement of the matter, and the attitude of the state government was positive,” the Union minister said. The deadlock has affected the livelihood of thousands of people and “we want that the problem is sorted out at the earliest” and trucks are back on the roads, Thakur said, adding that there should be no politics over the issue.

Industry Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan had earlier said due to closure of the twin plants, the state is incurring a loss of Rs 2 crore a day. There are about 6,500 trucks attached to the cement plants and the grounding of trucks has hit the livelihood several families.

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