आर्टीकल 370

आर्टीकल 370

कश्मीर भारत का मुकुट सिर दर्द बना क्यों
कश्मीर का हर आदमी बेदर्द बना क्यों
अंग्रेज हमें दे गए आज़ादी मुल्क की
पर कर गए बंटवारे से बरबादी मुल्क की !

बिखरे हुए मोती सभी माला में पिरोये
सरदार ने मेहनत से दिल के घाव थे धोये
कश्मीर को नेहरू अलग ही भाग दे गए
इस देश को अलगाव का एक राग दे गए ।

इस तीन सौ सत्तर से सत्तर साल खप गए
तीन परिवारों में सारे साल नप गए
नेहरू के बोये जख्म को सब सींचते रहे
घर फूंक कर के भी यूँ थे आंख मींचते रहे ।

पाकिस्तान को कश्मीर तश्तरी पे दे दिया
हर पांचवां इंसान बना उनका भेदिया
बच्चों के हाथ से खिलोने छुड़ा लिए
और उसकी जगह पर उन्हें पथ्थर थमा दिए !

हर एक बुराई काअंत बोलता कभी
जब रक्त राष्ट्र भक्त का है खौलता कभी
जब भय से मुक्त हो के कोई युक्ति सोचता
जब कर के सामना विश्व का मुक्ति सोचता !

जब देश राष्ट्र भक्त के ही साथ खडा हो
कुछ कर गुजरने का भी हौसला यूँ बडा हो
तब सारी परिस्थिति समय के साथ होती है
तब हर समस्या चुटकियों में साफ होती है ।

Highway Heroes

Highway Heroes

( Mahendra Arya, President-AITWA)

A soldier fighting on the borders of our country is our hero; because he has opted a life which is full of risks, means being away from his family, practice hard discipline with the possibility of losing his life. His incentive is a feeling that he is protecting his country. His reward is that he gets handsome salary and perks, good life during peace times, pension on retirement or death and finally a recognition by his country when he becomes a martyr. Undoubtedly a soldier is our hero; the Border Hero!

A farmer burning out his body in scorching summer, chilling winter and a drowning deluge of rains is also our hero; because he feeds the whole nation. Our 125 crore population depends upon him for their daily food. Our former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri recognized his contribution with the slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’- thus equating him with a soldier. Though he still has lot of hardship; however the scenario is being bettered by every Government. He is being guaranteed of minimum purchase price, insurance benefits against crop failure, easy loans and a waiver package as and when needed. Our incumbent Government has promised lot many new schemes for the farmer. Truly a farmer is our National Hero of Farms !

What about a truck driver ? Is he not contributing to the nation in a big way? Will any factory function in this country if their raw material in not brought inwards and their finished products are not moved outwards to their point of further consumption? Will the mining of minerals like iron ore, bauxite,  and other ores will serve any purpose if not moved to a plant of metal extraction out of those? Will a farmer’s produce be of any use when that gets perished at the place of producing due to non-movement by trucks? Will our defense be effective if all supplies in their logistics network stop? How will any citizen of this country survive without getting their daily supplies of grains, milk, food, newspapers, medicines and every thig else which exists as material? In spite of such supreme importance, is a truck driver treated as a National Hero?

Let us discuss how is he treated in our country. Most of the truck drivers in our country come from a poor background and without education. They become truck driver because they find no other jobs. They start their life as a helper to an established truck driver. His training on a truck is not formal; he learns driving by doing all personal services to his boss. As more than 80% trucks in India belong to small truck owners owning one to 5 vehicles, he has scope of getting jobs with them much higher than getting job in large fleet owners. Most of the transport companies don’t keep their own fleet as they can easily hire the trucks from the market. Thus the truck drivers are deprived of regular protection of employment like ESI, PF, Bonus, Leave and Gratuity.

Coming to their work life; they are away from their family for long durations depending upon the routes assigned and the delay in getting return loads. They are not only the drivers of the truck; but also the custodians of the material loaded on their trucks. This additional responsibility keeps them alert all the time. They can not get a break for a proper sleep in between as there are no facilities on highways. They sleep inside their trucks. They eat food in road side joints; or else by cooking themselves using the stove and utensils they carry. They don’t get facilities on lengthy highways to respond to call of nature. They have to suppress the same which causes damage to their health. However while talking about their hardships; experts of logistics highlight only their sex life by calling them visitors of prostitutes. No proper sleep, rest, food, toilet etc. make them sick. And all the time the risk of losing life in a accident looms on their heads.

And what do they get from the nation! The average payment to a driver employed by the best fleet owners is about Rs. Twenty thousand which is about Rs. 667 for a day; the day which engages them for 24 hours. Very few companies provide them with other perks of a regular employment. And the 80% drivers working with small truck operators get much less than that. Drivers are forced to make extra buck out of diesel consumption. There is no facilities given by state or national Government to a truck driver. No one thinks about their family which is left behind in their villages. They get covered for accidental death in the third party insurance policy for a small amount generally 2-3 lakhs and that is all about their insurance.

Coming to the treatment meted out to them! Their employers presume that he is going to steal diesel so he treats him with contempt. When he is driving on a road or highway, any policeman can stop him by waving his hand. In normal circumstances he will collect some money from him for no violation, exercising his power over the hapless truck driver. When the truck driver crosses a state border, there is a regular practice of collecting a hefty amount properly termed as ENTRY from him by the RTO or his goons. In case of non-payment he is slapped with various charges which are never practiced in India. If he raises his voice to protest, he is roughed up by the officers and their goons. There are large numbers of videos available on internet of such atrocities.

Tax Officers, financing companies and anyone with some power may stop the vehicles. They don’t hesitate in manhandling a driver. They express their authority by slapping a poor truck driver even though he has no role in tax of goods or loan payment of his truck. He may get detained on highway for several days without being provided any shelter or food.

There are criminals who operate on highways. For them the easiest prey is a truck driver as his is normally alone or at the most with his trainee counterpart. A truck driver carries goods which could be worth several crores also. If he is attacked by a jeep full of highway criminals, he has only two options- either surrender to their demands or face  death as they come equipped with arms and ammunitions. There are thousand of records available of such murders on highway.

In case of an accident, which could be due to his negligence or by someone else driving on highway; he may lose his life. In case he is live, then there are high chances that he may bleed to death as people in our country do not want to get involved. Even if he is carried to a hospital, the hospital does not start any procedure on various grounds like police complaint etc . Though “ who will make the payment” is generally the hidden reason behind all other reasons of such hospitals.

If a driver survives in an accident or an attempt of theft, he is expected to report to the nearest police station. He gets an extremely unfriendly reception at all such police stations. In case of thefts the jurisdiction is the easiest reason for rejection of recording the FIR. Many a times, the driver is accused to be an accomplish of criminals. He is made to run from pillar to post from one police station to other until he is attended by his employer or the transport company.

We should realise that a Truck driver is our Highway Hero just as a soldier is Border Hero and a farmer is the Farm hero! If Jai Jawan Jai Kisan is true in spirit then Jai Saarthi Jai Bharti should also be our slogan for an economical growth of our country.

Even a common citizen treats a truck driver with contempt. If not contempt, at least with zero respect. Political leaders don’t find drivers an important category, mainly because they are not their vote bank. A driver rarely gets to vote as he is mobile. His life and his work does not allow him to plan his stay for voting at his constituency. For this simple reason this One crore plus size community is in no political party’s manifesto.

Should a truck driver continue to live this kind of life? A life with no incentive, no perks and no respect! Do we expect to get his next generation to drive a truck? Driving cars in cities with employers like Ola, Uber, Meru etc. is paid handsomely and with full package of perks and holidays. They travel in airconditioned cars with respectable passengers. Why should anyone opt truck driving as an option of job?

With this article, the writer is raising three big questions-

1.     Should nation ignore its theirs most important national hero ?

2.     Should a trade sleep over its ever growing shortage of truck drivers in comparison to availability of trucks?

3.     Should Government and its entire machinery ignore the truck drivers’ existence?

All India Transporters’ Welfare association ( AITWA) has taken this challenge to bring about a major shift in the life of a truck driver. AITWA wants to bring about a campaign in the country for masses awareness. We will represent to Government with a package of demands for the welfare of truck drivers. AITWA will invite all companies which are associated with production of trucks and its accessories to participate in this movement. All associations are welcome to join the project. A detailed step to step activity report is under preparation. The project HIGHWAY HEROES will be launched in a formal function by AITWA.

Jai Jawan Jai Kisan ! Jai Saarthi Jai Bharti !!!

GST effects for Transporters

Finally GST is passed by the lower and the upper house. There is lot of discussion in the country about the impact of the proposed GST. The benefits of the GST cannot be denied. The major benefit is the removal of cascading effect of different type of taxes. Another benefit is the uniformity of the taxes and the laws related to the Taxes all over the country. As announced by the Finance Minister the basic principle of GST will be to keep it RNR which means revenue neutral rate. In other words the rate of GST will be decided in such a way that the central government as well as the State governments do not lose their revenue in comparison to the present collection. At the same time public get goods and services at a lesser price. Theoretically it sounds a win-win situation however how will this be achieved that is yet to be seen. The bill itself does not answer all the questions. The answers will come  later when the GST Council will formulate the details like rates and exemptions.

There is an euphoria among people involved in Logistics business. Many GST gurus are predicting that there will be major reduction in the overall logistics cost. I personally do not see much of change from the present position. Let us analyse the impact of GST on different components of transportation and logistics. The following are the major cost  components - 

1. Cost Of the vehicle- 

The excise duty on the vehicles is 12.5%. The VAT also is 12.5%. Due to the cascading effect it works out to about 27%. If GST is kept at 18% then there will be a saving of about 9% in the tax.

2. Cost of diesel - diesel and other petroleum products have been kept out of GST therefore no effect.

3  Cost of tyres-The excise duty on the tyres is 12.5%. The VAT also is 12.5%. Due to the  cascading effect it works out to about 27%. If GST is kept at 18% then there will be a saving of about 9% in the tax. 

4. Motor vehicle tax- none of the taxes connected to commercial motor vehicle are subsumed in the GST therefore no effect. 

5. Toll Tax- there is no change in the implication .  

6. Insurance- presently the vehicle insurance premium is subject to 15% percent service tax. If GST will be applied at the rate of 18% it will increase the cost of insurance. 

Thus we see that in the operating cost of the commercial vehicle there is hardly any impact. 

Effect on warehouse services

Warehousing in India is done for two purposes. Many manufacturers and traders have been having their houses for the purpose of better distribution and logistics. GST will hardly impact this type of warehousing. However there have been warehousing for the purpose of tax planning. People have been transferring their stocks to other states to their warehouses and have been charging the local VAT. This kind of warehousing will no more be required. This cannot be treated as the good news for the logistics business even though this is a good news for the manufacturers. 

Check posts on the highway

Everyone is assuming that there will be no check posts after GST. However the real situation would be different. The check posts have been created by states at entry and exit points of the state. The purpose of this has been to record the entry of a loaded truck into the state and to ensure that exit of the same loaded truck from the state if the goods loaded are meant for other states. The reason of this exercise was that there have been a fear in the mind of state tax authorities that the goods may get offloaded in the state even though the invoices were made in favour of another state. Such goods would be sold without any document hence causing a loss of tax to the state.

As per the GST Bill the revenue of GST will be shared between central government and state government. That means every movement of the goods will be watched by the states who are having interest in the GST associated with the goods. This situation will be applicable to all the states hence I don't foresee any removal of the check posts. In fact I fear that there may be more check posts and more paperwork after GST.  

Somebody may argue that why should anyone sell goods without documents when there is a chain of GST from the point of manufacturing. The answer is that India has a parallel economy of black and white. Those who have black money they want to buy goods without paperwork so that they do not appear anywhere in the system. At the same time, there are people who are interested in just the documents to avail the input credit. 

Who will pay the GST ? And how much ?

This question arises only with respect to transport companies. The reason is same as what was applicable in case of service tax. The main raw material of transportation that is the diesel has been kept out of the cycle of GST. That means that a transporter cannot take the credit of taxes included in the price of diesel. Diesel accounts for nearly 55% of the cost of operation. The same situation had arrived when the service tax was made applicable to the transport services. At that time a committee was formed by including representatives of the government and the transport Associations. This committee after much deliberations concluded that service tax be charged only on 75% of the freight and no input credit should be taken by the transport companies.

Further it was decided that the service tax on transportation should be paid by the service users directly to the Government instead of paying that to the service providers. This mechanism of payment of service tax is called reverse charge. In the GST bill which has been recently passed also there is a provision of the reverse charge. In all likelihood the GST will also be applicable on the transporters in the same fashion as service tax was. 

However, all this is a speculation at present. But this is also the time for all the stake holders to start thinking and planning. It is the trade which decides the policy and the minster understand it. The outcome is always for the betterment of the country. 

एस्कॉर्ट क्या और क्यों ?

आज से पूरे महाराष्ट्र की सभी ट्रांसपोर्ट असोसिएसनों ने चक्का जाम यानि राज्य व्यापी हड़ताल की घोषणा कर दी है। घोषणा १५ दिन पहले हो चुकी है। मुंबई के आजाद मैदान में एक धरना प्रदर्शन भी हो चूका है। न मिडिया ने तवज्जो दी और न ही सरकार ने। वैसे भी सरकार  जागती है जब पानी  ऊपर से गुजर चूका  होता है।

मुद्दा है 'एस्कॉर्ट ' नाम के एक अर्थहीन टैक्स का। एस्कॉर्ट जानने के लिए एस्कॉर्ट का इतिहास जानना जरूरी है।  महाराष्ट्र में विभिन्न नगरपालिकाएं अपने क्षेत्र में प्रवेश करने वाले हर माल पर चुंगी लगाती थी , जिसे कहते थे - ऑक्ट्रॉई। जब बाहर की गाड़ियां नगरपालिका सीमा में प्रवेश करने के पहले घोषणा करती थी की लदा हुआ माल नगरपालिका सीमा में नहीं उतरेगा बल्कि नगरपालिका के क्षेत्र को पार कर के आगे जाएगा। ऐसी घोषणा की विश्वश्नीयता पर प्रश्न चिन्ह लगाते हुए नगरपालिकाओं ने एक व्यवस्था बनायीं। उस के  अनुसार ऐसे वाहन पर नगरपालिका एक व्यक्ति को बैठा देती थी , जिसका काम होता था - ऐसे वाहन को नगरपालिका की सीमा के बाहर तक विदा कर के आना ; ताकि ये पक्का हो सके की आयातित माल नगरपालिका की सीमा के अंदर नहीं उतारा गया है। इस तरह साथ जाने वाले व्यक्ति को कहा जाता था - 'एस्कॉर्ट ' ! उस व्यक्ति की आमदनी  करने के लिए  एक छोटा सा व्यय वसूला जाता था , जिसे कहते थे - चार्जेज।

कालांतर में कई नगरपालिका क्षेत्रों के बाहर से बाई पास रोड बना दिए गए।  बाई पास रोड बनाने का उद्देश्य यही होता है की जिन वाहनों को उस क्षेत्र में कोई काम न हो वो प्रवेश न करें. ऐसी स्थिति में जब ऑक्ट्रॉई की सीमा में वो  ही नहीं तो वहां नगरपालिका का कोई काम नहीं था।  लेकिन नगरपालिकाओं ने अपनी एस्कॉर्ट से होने वाली आमदनी जारी  रखते हुए इन बाई पास रास्तों पर भी एस्कॉर्ट वसूली के पोस्ट बना दिए।  अब एक  ही अंतर था।  कोई व्यक्ति एस्कॉर्ट के रूप में साथ में नहीं जाता था , लेकिन एस्कॉर्ट चार्जेज कई गुना बढ़ चुके थे।

अब आगे देखिये ! धीरे धीरे सभी नगरपालिकाओं ने ऑक्ट्रॉई वसूली समाप्त कर दी। आज महाराष्ट्र में मुंबई के अलावा कहीं ऑक्ट्रॉई नहीं बची है। ऐसी स्थति में एस्कॉर्ट चार्जेज तो अपने आप ही समाप्त हो जाने चाहिए थे। लेकिन ऐसा  हुआ नहीं। एस्कॉर्ट के  वसूला जाने वाला व्यय आज एक बड़ी राशि के रूप में हर आने जाने वाले माल वाहन से जजिया कर की तरह वसूला जाता है।

सरकार ने बुद्धि के दरवाजे बंद कर रखे हैं।  समय समय पर उठने वाली परिवहन क्षेत्र की गुहार का कोई असर नहीं पड़ता।  आखिर कार बॉम्बे  ट्रांसपोर्ट असोसिएसन के तत्वाधान में हो रही आज से हड़ताल। कल शाम तक की सूचना के अनुसार पृथ्वीराज चौहान सरकार ने बातचीत के लिए आज बुलाया है।  देखें क्या होता है। ये गूंगी और बहरी सरकार नगाड़ों की आवाज नहीं सुन पाती ; इसलिए  इसके कानों में गरम गरम तेल डालना पड़ता है ; शायद अब  के ये सरकार !

CSR Provisions-Companies Act 2013

Corporate Social Responsibility has come of age in India now with Companies Rule 2014. Here are the main points related to CSR.

Applicability of CSR Provisions

1.      CSR provisions have been notified on 27^th February, 2014 and are enacted u/s. 135 and Schedule VII of the Companies Act 2013 read with Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 which shall be effective from 1^st April 2014

2.      CSR provisions shall be complied and CSR committee shall be formed if during a financial year any one of the following conditions are fulfilled by domestic company including its holding and subsidiary company and foreign companies having a branch office / project office in India

a. net worth of Rs. 500 crores or more, OR

b. turnover of Rs. 1000 crores or more, OR

c. net profit of Rs. 5 crores or more

3.      Net profit for the purpose of computing applicability shall mean net profit as per the financial statements prepared in accordance with the applicable provisions but will not include the following:

(a)   any dividend received from any company in India governed by sec 135; and

(b)   any profit arising from overseas branch or branches of the company whether operated as separate company or otherwise.

Formation of CSR Committee

4.      The committee shall comprise of 3 or more directors, out of which at least one should be an independent director.

Quantum of CSR

5.      A sum equivalent to 2% of the Average Net Profit made by the company in preceding three financial years shall be the amount to be spent on CSR activities. “Average Net Profit” shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of section 198 of the Act.

Functions of CSR Committee

6.      The functions to be performed by the CSR committee are as follows:

a.      Formulate and recommend to the Board, a Corporate Social Responsibility Policy, which shall indicate the activities to be undertaken by the company. The CSR activity/ies to be undertaken by a corporate entity are specified in Schedule VII (described below)

b.      Recommend the amount of expenditure to be incurred

c.       Monitor the Corporate Social Responsibility Policy of the company from time to time

Accountability of the Board

7.      Duties of the Board in respect of CSR provisions are as follows

a.      Approve the CSR Policy for the company

b.      Board’s report shall include in the Annual Report the particulars in respect of CSR specified in Annexure of the Rules

c.       The same shall be displayed on the company’s website, if any, as per the particulars specified in Annexure.

d.      Ensure that the activities included in CSR Policy of the company are undertaken by the company.

Execution of CSR activity

8.      Preference to be given to local areas and areas surrounding the places where company operates.

9.      A company may conduct/implement its CSR programmes through Companies Trusts, Societies, or Section 8 companies operating in India, which are set up by the company or its holding or subsidiary or associate company. The Company has to specify projects to be undertaken, mode of utilization and the monitoring and reporting system

10.  If trust, society or company under section 8 is not established by companies stated above then they shall have an established track record of 3 years for undertaking similar projects.

11.  A company may collaborate with other company such that the CSR committees of respective companies are in a position to report separately on the CSR activities

Restrictions on CSR spending

12.  Activities which fall within the purview of Schedule VII (described below) of the Act only shall be eligible and considered as expended for the purpose of CSR

13.  Activities that benefit only employees and their family will not constitute part of CSR.

14.  Only such CSR activities will be taken into consideration as are undertaken within India.

15.  Activities of normal course of business does not constitute to CSR activities.

16.  Contribution of any amount directly or indirectly to any political party under section 182 of the Act, shall not be considered as CSR activities.

17.  Expenses incurred for CSR activities shall not exceed 5% of total CSR expenditure of a company is one financial year.

Consequences of non spending

18.  If the Company fails to spend the CSR amount in a financial year, the Board is required to specify the reasons in its report for not spending the amount.

Activities of CSR specified in Schedule VII

a.      eradicating hunger, poverty and malnutrition, promoting preventive health care and sanitation and making available safe drinking water:

b.      promoting education, including special education and employment enhancing vocation skills especially among children, women, elderly, and the differently abled and livelihood enhancement projects;

c.       promoting gender equality, empowering women, setting up homes and hostels for women and orphans; setting up old age homes, day care centres and such other facilities for senior citizens and measures for reducing inequalities faced by socially and economically backward groups;

d.      ensuring environmental sustainability, ecological balance, protection of flora and fauna, animal welfare, agro forestry, conservation of natural resources and maintaining quality of soil, air and water;

e.       protection of national heritage, alt and culture including restoration of buildings and sites of historical importance and works of art; setting up public libraries; promotion and development of traditional arts and handicrafts.

f.        measures for the benefit of armed forces veterans, war widows and their dependents;

g.      training to promote rural sports, nationally recognised sports, paralympic sports and Olympic sports;

h.      contribution to the P me Minister's National Relief Fund or any other fund set up by the Central Government for socio-economic development and relief and welfare of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, other backward classes, minorities and women;

i.        contributions or funds provided to technology incubators located within academic institutions which are approved by the Central Government

j.        rural development projects.

Corruption On Highways

The estimated number of registered commercial vehicles in India is about 70 lakhs. Estimated  - because nowhere on the Government websites     , I could find the current number. Out of these 70 lakhs vehicle at least 40lakh vehicle ply on long distances crossing one or more states.  Every such vehicle crosses on average two state borders every day.

Now the startling facts- at most of state borders there is an unofficial fixed payment called ENTRY. This amount varies on the basis of the vehicles capacity to carry the loads. In general the amount varies from Rs. 500 to Rs. 5000 depending upon vehicle capacity and nature of load. This amount is paid by every driver without any fuss to the concerned RTO. Non-payment or argument invites the invocation of all the rules of motor vehicle, which includes few which are not important and not followed by most of the vehicles. Example- Driver should wear proper shoes, the side mirror should be of standard type, there should be two drivers on each vehicle etc. The truck owners consider this payment as part of every trip’s cost. Hence this forms a part of overall cost of transportation.

Let us assess the astronomical sum involved in this racket. Out of 70 lakhs vehicle at least 40 lakhs vehicles ply on long distance everyday . Every long distance generally involves crossing of  two border check posts as it runs about 300 to 400 kilometers in a day. However let us take the average as one check post. Let us take the average payment as Rs. 100 as ENTRY for each vehicle for each entry.

The daily amount works out to Rs.100 x 40 Lakhs = Rs. 40 crores. Multiply it by 365, as vehicles run on all 365 days. The total amount involved is 14,600 crores. This is the tip of the iceberg. 

There are huge collections for the real violations- like overloading, over dimensions, document deficiency. That amount will run into several times of this basic figure worked out for almost no offence.

This booty gets divided between all levels, from bottom to top. Such payments forms the ultimate cost of each and every product which gets transported in the country. 

Do we need to look for the root cause of inflation elsewhere?

My Presentation in ASSE Safety India 2014

 I was invited to participate in the ASSE Safety India 2014 conference which was held on May 26-27, 2014 at Hotel Leela Palace, Chennai.

I was given a slot to speak in the technical session on Road Safety on May 26, 2014.My colleague speakers included Mr. Suresh Tanwar, VP-SHES, Tata Motors; Mr. Venkata Subba Rao Chunduru, AVP-GMR Highways and Mr. Sudhir R. Hoshing, CEO-Roads Business, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. The Chairman of the session was Mr. Ashish Wig, Infrastructure Committee Chairman, American Chamber Of Commerce, India.

 I started off by raising a very pertinent question to my previous two speakers who were expert highway makers. My question to them was that why a flower bed is created in the dividing strip of two parts of an express highway , viz. Mumbai-Pune Expressway? It is seen that a watering tanker is employed which runs at a very slow speed in the rightmost lane slowly watering the flowerbed.This is an open invitation to a major sik as the vehicles run on a speed of about 120 Kilometers per hour.The question was left for highway makers for their food for thought.

The time allotted to me was 15 minutes. My presentation was related to the safety factor in transportation of Dangerous and Hazardous Goods especially for smaller loads. Here are the main points of my discussion-

1.       The safety is structured on 4 Es – Engineering, Enforcement, Education and Emergency Care.

2.       Engineering aspect in India is world class. Accidents don’t happen in India because of poor engineering. Our vehicles and our highways are world class with full back up of quality R&D.

3.       Enforcement has three areas- a. Enacting laws b. Implementing them on ground level and c. Punitive policy on violation. There are sufficient laws as part of Motor Vehicle Act and Carriage By Road Act 2007. These laws expect the consignor to give full information about their D&H goods to the transporter; transporter is expected to give full information in writing to Driver and the driver is expected to follow the given guidelines. Apart from this the vehicle carrying the D&H goods is expected to display the label of the related consignments nature and degree of danger. Apart from these there are provisions of adequate insurance and first aid kit etc.

4.       My focus area was transportation of Dangerous and Hazardous Goods when they are transported in small quantity. All the rules and instructions are framed keeping the Full Load Consignments in mind. The ground reality is that all dangerous and hazardous goods are transported in India in small quantities also viz. a drum, a bag, a carton or a can. Small quantities of such goods are booked by the manufacturers to general parcel transporters without disclosing the nature of the goods. Transport Companies’ booking clerks are not educated enough to understand the chemical names and its nature. The goods are loaded along with other general goods in the trucks.

5.       There is a continuous risk involved right from the point of booking, loading, transit, unloading and delivery at destinations. The risk can be of major accidents involving loss of eye sights or even life of people around it. The fact is that regularly small or big accidents are happening in this uncontrolled system.

6.       There are no laws prevailing to control the movement of H&D goods as part loads in India. The question is – Is a part load less Hazard or Danger ?

The presentation was finished with this question. Audience response was very positive. From audience Mr. Milind M. Tare,DGM(Safety) of Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd. met me and shared his experience that they do receive such small loads for their laboratory. He also requested for certain procedural details on mail. A similar sharing was done by a gentleman from L&T.