Chaka bandh stir hits Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Jun 13 (UNI) The 24-hour Chaka Bandh agitation, called by All Indian Motor Transport Association in protest against the hike in petrol and diesel prices, hit road transport in Orissa.

According to ALL India Motor Transport Congress Chairman Om Prakash Agarwal the strike was almost total in Orissa as nearly 95 per cent of the total 75,000 trucks were off the road.

He said at few places in the state the truck operators did not join the agitation as they were not communicated about the strike.

The auto rickshaws in Bhubaneswar also joined the agitation to protest the hike in petrol and diesel prices.

The state CPI(ML) also staged demonstration in the state capital and other places in South Orissa in response to a call by the party's central committee to protest the steep increase in prices of petrol and diesel.

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