Odisha drivers strike: Association rejects state government's assurance, to continue strike

The agitating drivers in Odisha whose statewide strike entered its third day on Friday rejected the governments written assurance to fulfill their 10point charter of demands within three months and has announced to continue with their stirThe Drivers Ekta Mahasangha said it may call off the agitation if Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik himself announced that their demands for pension insurance and other amenities will be fulfilledThe Mahasangha president Prasanta Menduli said Our association is not happy with the chief secretarys written assurance Our agitation will continue till the government makes an announcementMenduli in his video message also called upon the driver fraternity to come forward to fight for the fulfillment of their demandsThe government has meanwhile constituted a taskforce headed by chief secretary P K Jena to monitor the movement of essential commodities which has been hit by the drivers agitation a notification by the state commerce and transport department saidThe taskforce was formed on Thursday night and Jena gave the Mahasangha the written assurance to resolve their issues within three months from March 16 He also appealed to the body to call off the strike it saidThe taskforce will ensure that there is no disturbance in the supply chain due to the unavailability of goods in the market it saidPrices of essential commodities like vegetables fishes eggs and other off items have skyrocketed as the trucks carrying them are standard in different parts of the state due to the drivers strikeThe taskforce held its first meeting on Thursday night in which it monitored the current market situation It also initiated various steps to ensure smooth movement of the essential commoditiesIt proposed alternative strategies for movement of various commodities including fuel to avoid any inconvenience to the public the notification saidThe director general of police the development commissioner principal secretaries in the commerce and transport and food Supplies and consumer welfare departments and the transport commissioner are the other members of the taskforce the notification saidAlso Read 784 elephant deaths in 10 years in Odisha says Forest ministerThe task force will meet as frequently as required and take necessary action to ensure free movements of essential commodities Three Control Rooms which would operate for 24times7 have been established an official release saidThe control rooms are at the offices of the state emergency response centre telephone number 112 transport commissioner 18003451073 and the food supply and consumer welfare department 06742393644 it saidMeantime activities in different bus stands and terminals are returning to normal after the agitating drivers vacated the roads including national highways and buses with passengers onboard left for Balasore Baripada Berhampore and other place from Barmunda bus terminal here on Friday an official saidThe Odisha Private Bus Owners Association which had threatened to go on strike from Friday morning demanding clearance of roads for smooth movement of passenger bus called it off after most of the roads were cleared he saidThe Association is opposed to the Drivers Ekta Mahasangha which launched its Quit Steering agitation on WednesdayThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever