Strike called off: Panel to look into weighing operators’ issue

PUNE: Minister of Marketing Ram Shinde held a meeting with Hamal Panchayat, Poona Merchants Chambers and Administrator of Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) on Wednesday on the ongoing issue of strike and weighing operator of the Market Yard.  At the meeting, it was decided to form a committee which will prepare a report in 15 days on the issue of weighing operators in Market Yard, Pune. 

Meanwhile, 800 porters and head loaders of grocery market of Market Yard also called off their strike from Monday. “Minister of Marketing Ram Shinde asked us to form the committee which will hear all stakeholders and submit a report in 15 days. Based on that report, a final decision on weighing operators will be taken. Till then they have been asked to resume work,” said BJ Deshmukh, Administrator, Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) who was present at the meeting.

“We called off the strike on Monday as we were promised that Minister of Marketing will conduct a meeting with us on the issue. The final decision will be taken by August 22 when the committee submits the report. An interim negotiation is done as the weighing operators and porters have started working in the Market Yard again,” said Baba Adhav, President, Hamal Panchayat.