Truckers up in arms against government

JAJPUR: The State Government decision to do away with transportation of minerals to industries and ports by road has created resentment among the truckers in 10 districts, including Keonjhar.The decision has come as a blow to lakhs of families engaged in transportation of minerals from the district to other parts of the State and Haldia in West Bengal and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.While about one lakh of the affected population include owners, managers, drivers and helpers, the remaining are workers engaged in loading and unloading of iron ore. Out of about 30,000 trucks  engaged in transportation of minerals,  20,000 are in Keonjhar district alone. The rest ply from neighbouring Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Angul, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Khurda districts.The truckers are unable to understand the rationale behind the decision. “The State Government’s recent decision to disengage trucks in iron ore transportation will certainly push lakhs of families to starvation.  Particularly, those unemployed youths who had taken loans from bank and other financial institutions for trucks,” Shaik Zuman, secretary of Jaraka Truck Owners Association said.Terming the decision as anti-poor, Zuman urged the Government to reconsider its decision. “If the Government wants to curb illegal transportation of iron ore, then why target truckers. We are in no way involved or facilitate suchillegal practices,” said Prasanna Baral, a truck owner.  The truckers have now decided to launch an agitation to press the Government to rescind the order.