Sri Lanka government, SLA obstruct Jaffna lorries using A9 road

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 November 2009, 18:55 GMT]
Sri Lanka government and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) are not permitting the lorries owned by Jaffna traders to transport goods through A9 road though the said lorries had been inspected by SLA in its Palaali Military Head Quarters and issued with roadworthy certificates to nearly 147 lorries that belong to Jaffna traders, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, the lorries owned by Sothern traders are engaged in transporting essential goods and other items to Jaffna and are permitted to take Jaffna produces back to South and this procedure with its high amount of transport charges has caused prices of goods in the peninsula to rise, affecting local producers and consumers, Traders Union representatives in Jaffna said.

The 147 lorries owned by Jaffna traders are idling for months while lorries of the Southern traders registered with the Commissioner of Essential Services in Colombo are routinely engaged in transport service through A9 road with the approval of the government and SLA.

More Southern lorry owners are registering their vehicles with the Commissioner of Essential Services in Colombo with the aim to reap profit in the transport trade, the sources said.

Jaffna traders complain that they have to sell the goods at a higher price to the consumers in Jaffna peninsula since they pay higher rates to the lorries from the South.

This could be avoided if their own lorries are permitted to transport goods through A9 road, they further said.