Bhubaneswar, July 29: The state government today invoked provisions of the Orissa Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (Esma), prohibiting strikes by transporters, loaders and tippers in Odisha for six months.
The move has come following the strike by associations of transporters, loaders and tippers in Keonjhar and Sundargarh, resulting in the obstruction of mineral transportation by road.
Under Esma, police can arrest people taking part in strikes without warrant. The violators may face six-month imprisonment and cash penalty. Anyone instigating the agitators could also be punished up to a one-year jail term.
A section of transporters have called off their agitation following the announcement.
The transporters had been on strike to protest against the government's decision to fix the freight and go for e-tenders. The Odisha Mining Corporation has developed software for the purpose.
"The government is satisfied that as, in public interest, it's necessary to prohibit strikes of the transporters' associations to ensure uninterrupted mineral transportation," read the order, issued by home department special secretary Lalit Das.
Following the invocation of Esma, director-general of police Sanjeev Marik convened a meeting, which senior officials of Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts attended.
Sundargarh collector B.S. Punia said: "We are keeping tabs on the developments. We have given the transporters some time to start working, as the drivers have left for their homes and some are repairing their vehicles. But, we will act within next 24 hours."
Rourkela Tipper Owners' Association president Mitu Behuria said: "We have called off our strike and informed it to the Bonai sub-collector."
Though the Sundargarh Truck Owners' Association did not call a strike, it expressed solidarity towards the 12 transport unions of the district who were agitating. Its general secretary Sanjay Kumar Nayak said: "We still extend them our moral support."
Additional reporting by Rajesh Mohanty in Rourkela and Amulya Pati in Keonjhar
