Lucknow, Dec 27 (UNI) The Tranport Associations of Uttar Pradesh today announced an indefinte strike from January 1 to protest the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) regime in the state.

The agitating transporters said they would continue the strike and not ply trucks or buses in the state till the present VAT structure was amended.

Under the new tax regime, transporters have been identified as dealers in the business of transport and they will have to submit Form 14 to 21 and keep all the details of their business for eight years.

They were also claiming that VAT imposed in 22 other states of the country had kept transporters out of the purview of the new tax system.

Meanwhile, traders affliated to the Uttar Pradesh Udyog Vyapar Pratinidhi Mandal continued their four-day long hunger strike to protest VAT.

The agitation being held in front of the Vidhan Sabha precincts, where traders observed hunger strike for the second day today to oppose the new tax system which they term ''anti-trader''.

The agitation will continue till December 29.

Traders of several districts in UP also observed hunger strike and they would continue to do so till the end of this month.

UNI