Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities in Anuradapura did not permit Thursday the lorries of private traders in the South carrying essential food items and fruits to proceed to Jaffna due to its security checking, sources in Colombo said. The traders who had invested heavily in this venture on the strength of government assurance of easy passage, are very much dissatisfied as the major part of the goods have perished due to the delay caused by the SLA authorities in Anuradapura, the sources added. This has led the traders in the South and Jaffna not to involve anymore in transporting goods through A9 land route to Jaffna.
Around 120 lorries loaded with essential food items and fruits had arrived Thursday morning at one of the major SLA camps in Anuradapura for inspection.
In the first stage, 80 lorries were inspected while the rest were made to wait outside the camp.
Once this investigation was completed the SLA authorities had asked the drivers of the lorries inspected to go home.
Besides, the SLA authorities said that the lorries will be held in the camp and the day of their release will be informed later.
Most of the goods in the lorries are in a stage of perishing and the disappointed traders have announced that they will not engage themselves in the transport of goods by lorries through A9 route if SLA authorities do no cooperate with them.
Though representations have been made to key government officials no favourable response has been shown so far.
The traders have asked at least 40 of the blocked lorries to be allowed to proceed to Jaffna saying that they will withdraw from this venture if their request is not heeded immediately.
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