Movement of trucks on National Highway 33 was minimal on Friday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, Sept. 2: Transportation of minerals and essential commodities to and from the Singhbhum region suffered as the chakka jam called by the Jharkhand Truck and Trailer Owners? Association entered the second day today.

Despatch of minerals from West Singhbhum district to different destinations, including Haldia and Paradip ports, was hit as most trucks stayed off the roads.

?More than 300 trucks and dumpers, which transport iron ore and other minerals, ply in the district everyday. But since yesterday, less than 50 trucks have plied. And if the strike continues, transportation of minerals will come to a standstill,? a mining official said.

Owners of small and medium private mines said the strike has already affected their operations.

?Unlike big players like Tata Steel and Steel Authority of India ? who use the railway network to transport iron ore from the district ? most of the small private mine owners depend on trucks to transport their material. Since there are only a few trucks plying at present, we have slowed down our mining activities,? said a mine owner.

A reputed mine owner of West Singhbhum, Nandlal Rungta, said: ?If the truckers? strike goes on, the situation will become worse for miners who depend heavily on road transport to despatch their material.?

Mine owners are not the only who stand to suffer owing to the indefinite chakka jam. Vegetable wholesalers, particularly those dealing with potato and onions, warned that there could be a scarcity of such items in the market if the strike continued.

?Most of us have stocks that will last another couple of days. But if no fresh stocks arrive, vegetables like potatoes and onions will be hard to find in the market,? a wholesaler said. While the onions mainly come from Nasik in Maharashtra, the potatoes arrive from West Bengal and Bihar, sources said.

?We have received just 10 per cent of these two items since yesterday due to the strike,? the wholesaler alleged, adding that ?the common man will suffer if the chakka jam continues?.

Diesel sales at most petrol pumps in the Singhbhum region have dipped.

?Since most of the trucks and trailers are off the roads, our diesel sales have been adversely affected,? a petrol pump owner rued.

Besides the truckers? strike, some tribal organisations have also started an indefinite economic blockade in 112 blocks spread across 14 districts. The outfits do not want panchayat polls in areas under the 112 blocks since there is a system of traditional governance there.

?The movement of minerals by railways has not been hampered at all. We had taken extra precautions in view of the economic blockade. Besides, there has been no untoward incident so far,? railway officials said.