Post News Network
Joda, Jan 11: More than 200 truck owners Monday lodged a complaint with Bamebari police alleging they are being exploited by transport companies operating under Tata Company under Joda mining division in Keonjhar district.
They receive less rent from two companies – Samalai Transport and Trishakti Transport – for transportation of each truck-load of minerals, the truckers alleged and added that the price fixed by government is much higher than what they get. They would resort to agitation unless the administration settles the issue soon, they warned.
Tata authorities awarded the contract to the companies to transport minerals from its Khandabandha mines to its sponge iron plant at Bileipada in Keonjhar district. The two often hold up the rent for a long time and pay less, the dumper owners alleged.
According to some owners, the companies pay the rent to the vehicle owners in cash instead of transferring the due to their bank accounts or through proper maintenance of books of accounts. It just enable them to pay less and also to turn their black earning into white, the owners claimed.
According to reports, the transportation cost for a tonne of materials has been revised four times in last two months by the government. It was fixed at Rs437, Rs380, Rs330 and Rs232 at different points of time. However, the truckers get the rent less by Rs150 per tonne from the transport companies. They have been getting the discounted cost since last two years.
The owners who have been engaged since last 10 years in this Tata-owned mines stated that they find it difficult to update their insurance papers, road permit and pay for other related expenses as the rent was slashed to as low as Rs232 per tonne by the government. Cashing in on the opportunities, the transport companies have conspired to engage dumpers of other states in mineral transportation, the owners claimed.
Fearing that their livelihood would be affected by such move by the companies, hundreds of truckers lodged written complaint with police.
On the other hand the officials of the two transport companies said, it was a move by some people with vested interest to cancel their contracts with Tata.
