(Lanka-e-News -2011.Dec.13, 11.50PM) The agitation by the farmers and vegetable traders against the Govt.’s vegetable crate regulation had spread to other districts of the country as well. The protests which were staged yesterday at Dambulla continued today with greater vehemence .The police tear gassed the farmers and traders who staged the protests carrying a coffin at Dambulla today. Owing to the tear gas attack , the Dambulla Hospital staff and the patients had been subjected to grave inconvenience . The protestors have also attacked a police vehicle. The ‘Nataameys’ , (laborers ), have agitated that Johnny (Minister) should carry a crate on his shoulder and show them. The police had been unable to control the situation even by evening.According to subsequent reports , 28 persons have been arrested.
In Bandarawela too the farmers had staged demonstrations . The police had tear gassed them too . However the demonstrations had been continuing .
This morning , traders and workers have staged protests at the Manning market , Pettah. The protestors who congregated in front of Fort railway station had created severe traffic blocks. Later the groups have gone in procession walking up to the President’s palace . Three persons from the group were given permission to enter , according to reports.
Not a single vegetable or fruit lorry had come to the Manning market today which had been closed . Supplies of vegetables to Hotels had been put in a disarray, yesterday and today. Thousands of small traders who earn their livelihood on a daily basis had bee n most inconvenienced and driven to untold hardships.
Already the agitation and protests over the vegetable crate issue had spread to Haputale, Hambantota, Barwakumaka, Unawatuna, Thamuthegama and other areas.
Meanwhile , the grade nine qualified Minister of cooperatives and internal trade , Johnston Fernando addressing a media briefing in Colombo this morning said , the proposed scheme that requires the use of plastic crates for transport of vegetables and fruits will not be withdrawn. However this regulation will not apply where the transport of vegetables and fruits are done by tractors and three wheelers. But the grade nine qualified Minister’s novel theory did not explain how the vegetables and fruits will not go waste when transported in tractors and three wheelers. This Minister had also threatened to seal the shops and stalls of the traders.
It is an accepted and acknowledged truth that it is only a limited quantity that can be transported in plastic crates , and this will necessarily shoot up the prices . Moreover a plastic crate costs about Rs. 500/- , and this will be an additional burden on the goviya (farmer) . There are also other complications proliferating - that is , how the transported crates are going to be sent to the market again. Consequently , additional costs causing the prices of commodities to shoot up will become inevitable , they say. To compound the confusion , the Nataames (laborers ) too are expressing reluctance to co operate on the loading /unloading of the ‘Johnny designed’ crates .
