Jamshedpur, Oct 20: Demanding repair and construction of National Highway (NH-32and 33) along with six other lanes traders today were forced to move their protest to streets.
The movement headed by the biggest trade organization in Kolhan region, Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) the traders sat on a hunger strike from 11 in the morning till 3 pm near Kali Mandir in Pardih and insisted on immediate repair of National Highway from Chandil to Baharagora.
The four hour fast was headed by the President of SCCI Suresh Sonthalia where members of several other organization joined in and shouted slogans with their demands.
Talking to the media persons from the encompass site traders, said that the three districts of Kolhan region provides Rs 3000 crores of revenues to the central government but still the negligence of the government is affecting the hotels, malls and other business units situated at National Highway.
A traders said that the state and the central government is not serious about construction of the national highway this is the reason we were bound to take steps out of order and we advanced towards agitation.
The traders threatened of severe agitation after Diwali and informed that if the state and central government doesn�t respond to our move the stir may go on.
�How long should we keep quiet and wait for the agencies to take up the job apparently on their will. After all, the entrepreneurs are at the receiving end and the business is at loss,� said a trader.
The Ghatshila- Bahragora-Chakulia stretch at one end and Pardih-Chandil-Namkum stretch on the other end on the highway demands immediate attention or else the trade and business prospects of the region shall suffer, immensely, believes hotel industry.
The traders also informed that 500 crores have been invested in Chandil to Bahragora and 300 crore in Chandil to Balrampur but still the ugly condition of the road haunts the traders in doing any business.
Sunday protest saw involvement of several trade organizations including National Highway Entrepreneurs Welfare Association, National Transport Association, Jamshedpur Districbutor Association, Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Jamshedpur Transport Welfare Association, Jamshedpur Bus Owners Association, Adityapur Small Industries Association, Asiad, International Human Rights Association, Jamshedpur Chemist & Druggists Association, Jamshedpur Khadanan Vyavsai Sangh, Jamshedpur Distributors Association and Builders Association of India.
The members of the organizations present on the occasion were Sushil Singhania, Ramesh Agrawal, Ashok Goyal, Ashok Kedia, Vinod Debuka, Prem Garwal, Vinod Sharma, Riyaz Sharif, Jitendra Agrawal, Ram Kumar Singh, OP Munka, Vijay Khemka, Sachin Agrawal, Govind Rao, Dilip Singh, Navan Kishore, Pavan Debuka and several others were present.