Sugarcane lorry owners in Erode claim they were forced to overload vehicles

Claiming that private sugar mills in Erode district were forcing the lorry drivers to overload sugarcane in their vehicles beyond the permitted limit, members of the Tamil Nadu Sugarcane Lorry Owners’ Federation submitted a petition to the district administration here on Monday (January 12, 2026).

Led by coordinators S. Yuvaraj, K. Moorthy, P. Ramasamy, P.C. Mani and C. Senthil, the lorry owners said sugar mills were compelling them to carry loads of 20 tonne, which is far in excess of the prescribed 12-tonne limit for a six-wheeler lorry. If they refuse, transport work would be denied. This practice, they alleged, had resulted in frequent penalties under the Motor Vehicles Act imposed by the police and Transport authorities, causing severe financial hardship to vehicle owners and drivers. Overloading, they said, had also led to frequent breakdowns, tyre damage and an increased risk of road accidents.

They further claimed that transport charges were being fixed unilaterally by sugar mills without consultation. While the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation Limited had fixed the minimum transportation charge at ₹598 per tonne, sugarcane lorry owners were paid only ₹101 per tonne. They demanded that the rate be revised to ₹201 per tonne and said they were willing to operate strictly in accordance with norms from February 1, 2026, if the charges were revised.

They also alleged that non-commercial tractors were being used for transporting sugarcane, adversely affecting their operations. Urging the district administration to intervene, the association sought strict enforcement of load limits, fixation of fair transport charges and timely payment of dues. They warned that failure to address the issues would force lorry owners to resort to protests and halt sugarcane transportation.