Team Herald
PONDA: Tensions erupted in Shiroda after locals clashed with company officials over the transportation of iron ore pellets. The dispute centered around the lack of business opportunities for local truck owners and unemployed youth.
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The unrest began on Wednesday morning, with villagers staging a protest demanding that the pellet transportation business be given to local truckers. Later in the evening, the situation escalated as protesters blocked the road leading to the
company gate.
Deputy Collector Shubham Naik, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DYSP) Shivram Vaigankar, and Police Inspector (PI) Vijaynath Kavlekar were called in to mediate. Discussions between the villagers and company officials continued, but no resolution was reached until late evening.
One of the protesting truck owners, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed the frustration felt by the community, stating, “The company has been harassing us for over a year. Last year, we staged a protest over the poor rates for transporting iron ore pellets, and now we’re facing the same issue again. They refuse to give us transportation trips, and this is affecting our livelihoods.”
The truck owners also alleged that the company has been unfairly allocating transportation jobs, with large operators receiving a disproportionate share of work. “The company is giving 75% of the business to just a few truck owners who have 25 trucks, while the remaining 75 truck owners are only getting 25% of the business. This is grossly unfair,” said another
local trucker.
Further exacerbating tensions, villagers voiced concerns over the long-standing environmental impact of the company’s operations. “The pollution from the company has been a constant problem for years,” said a local resident. “We suffer from dust pollution, and the company has never provided any compensation for the damages caused. They also don’t offer any jobs to local youths,”
he added.
In addition to the environmental and employment grievances, allegations were raised that local politicians were exploiting their positions to secure transportation business from the company, depriving the locals of opportunities. “Some politicians are grabbing the business for themselves, leaving us with nothing,” said a villager, who requested anonymity.
They have demanded 100% of the transportation jobs be allocated to local truck owners and unemployed youth.
