Keonjhar: Mining operations in Joda belt of Keonjhar district has come to a grinding halt due to indefinite strike by transporters and truck operators.

The transporters are demanding hike in transportation charge keeping in view the constant rise in prices of diesel.

Not only has the price of diesel jumped, the cost of annual insurance, hike in price of spare parts and periodic maintenance besides the wage hike of drivers and helpers have also hit the truck owners hard.

"For the past six months, we have been constantly demanding an increase in transportation charge. But the mine owners have turned a deaf ear to our demand. Finding no other option, we are forced to go off the road," saidd general secretary of Joda Mining Area Truck Owners' Association Satyananda Karua.

He added that the ore transporters would find it tough to go ahead with their business if the truck fare was not revised. The profit in truck transport business is steadily dipping. Around one lakh families, including the families of the truck owners, are directly dependent on this trade. Their bread and butter are at stake, he said.

On the other hand, a mine owner said that the truck owners were being paid adequately for transportation. The demand of fare hike was not justified.

Inquiring into illegal iron and manganese ore mining in the state, the Justice M.B. Shah Commission had earlier estimated that the scam in mining iron ore and manganese in just two districts - Keonjhar and Sundargarh - was worth more than Rs 59,000 crore.