After continuous four days’ “unlawful and illegal” strike by transport operators of the Indian Farmers Fertilisers Cooperative Ltd. (IFFCO), Paradip, it was called off by the strikers after interference of the district administration on Wednesday.
In these four days of strike, the production of the company has not been affected but the supply of finished fertilisers to different parts of the State and country was affected, said an IFFCO official.
The transport drivers and helpers were protesting cutting down the number of vehicles for fertilisers transportation from the plant.
The trouble had started after the change was effected in the transport carriers. Earlier IFFCO had engaged one Kalinga Transport Cooperative Society for transporting fertilisers from the plant to railway siding at Rangiagada.
As many as 60 trucks with 160 drivers and helpers were engaged for transporting approximately about 6,000 tonnes of fertiliser on daily basis.
Last year, the society’s agreement ended and another agency Paradip Paribahan was awarded for the work in March.
However,the new transport company engaged 50 trucks instead of 60 for the job. Protesting the decision, all the drivers and helpers resorted to a strike from Sunday affecting fertiliser transportation from the plant.
Meanwhile, apprehending aggravation of the situation, the district administration clamped Section 144 outside the IFFCO plant and deployed one platoon of the police force on Wednesday evening to maintain law and order situation. At last, the transport drivers and helpers without reasons called off their strike on Wednesday evening after discussion with Paradip ADM Dr KC Dhir.