States asked to create pool of trained drivers

Our Reporter
Dimapur, May 22 (EMN): The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, government of India, has asked states and UTs to create a pool of trained drivers and 500 such trained drivers to be made available immediately for transporting ‘Hazardous cargo’ due to an increase in the need for transportation of liquid oxygen (LOX).

The ministry said that during the ongoing pandemic, major focus has been on quick and smooth transportation of LOX to various parts of the country. “In this regard, it has been brought out by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways that as per extant rules and in consonance with the CMVR, 1989, only trained drivers with adequate training and having ‘hazardous cargo’ license are allowed to operate the liquid oxygen (LOX) trucks”, a PIB report stated.

Adding that there is an urgent need to make available a large pool of trained drivers who could supplement or replace the existing drivers, keeping in mind 24×7 operations, the states and UTs are advised to create a pool of trained drivers and 500 such trained drivers are to be made available immediately and the number of drivers to be increased to 2500 in the next two months.

As a part of strategy which might be adopted to create an additional pool, states are suggested to quickly train drivers in handling hazardous chemicals and LMO through a short programme and apprenticeship. It also asked to make available skill HMV license holders in hazardous chemicals and LMO handling through short programmes and apprenticeships.

Such training modules have been designed with the help of the logistics sector skill council (LSSC), Indian chemical council (ICC), National skill development corporation (NSDC) and medical oxygen manufacturers, the report stated.

States are requested to recommend some local drivers with HMV or hazardous chemical license to opt for those training programmes. Also, a list of all the skilled drivers would be made available on a digital platform and the services of those trained drivers could be utilised for carrying cryogenic LMO tankers, it added.

The ministry also advised that LOX tanker drivers might be facilitated with a special Covid vaccination drive and priority in admission and treatment in hospitals, in case they are found Covid infected.