By Ajay Chhetri, Kathmandu, May 8: Prohibitory order that imposed to break the chain of the second wave of COVID-19, has pushed the living of more than 2.5 lakh truck workers in difficulty in Nepal.  

In a normal situation, more than 85 thousand truckers used to run across the country by carrying construction materials, vegetables, fruits, milk among others per day.

According to the Chairman of the Federation of Truck Transport Entrepreneurs, Rajendra Kumar Shrestha, truck owners have to bear a loss of Rs 3 lakh in a month from each truck.

For the period of the prohibitory order/lockdown, only 10 percent are allowed to transport basic necessities like rice, vegetable, fruits under the guidelines of Ministry Industry, Commerce, and Supplies.

"This new situation has not only disrupted the supplies but also put the future of truck drivers, conductors, and helpers in the difficulty for an uncertain period of time," Shrestha said.

Shrestha also explained that the federation had tabled a talk with the ministry to operate trucks also during the lockdown.

The federation had suggested to the ministry that 'truckers can be allowed transport with proper health security measures'.

He said that they had even demanded to vaccinate truck driver, conductor, and helper so that they can transport without any disruption during a lockdown. Shrestha was confidently said that almost all the trucks can be safely run under the supervision of the government. This will not disrupt the supplies across the country even during the lockdown.

However, the Spoke person of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies Narayan Prasad Regmi said that currently ministry is concentrated to have a sufficient supply of basic necessities for the people across the country.

Therefore, the number of truckers that are allowed to commutes are sufficient to supply vegetables, fruits, foods, medicines among others.

In the current scenario, there are very thin chances to allow all the truckers to supply across the country in its full capacity. So at this point, the only option for hundreds and thousands of workers engaged in trucks is to helplessly looking into a looming crisis.