Odisha Traders call Cuttack Malgodown strike from Today

Bhubaneswar, Oct 28: The Cuttack Chamber of Commerce (CCC) called strike from Wednesday opposing the de-hoarding drive initiated by the Odisha government. They decided to stop trading in Malgodown in Cuttack from Wednesday.

CCC member Prashant Patra said all the members have decided to go on indefinite strike from Thursday stopping all the procurement of essential commodities in Malgodown.

Patra demanded the state government to release the seized pulses during the de-hoarding drive that conducted at various godowns in the state.  He said the strike will continue until their demands are met.

Notably, the state government has stated de-hoarding drive in the state following skyrocketing of pulses in the state due to bottleneck in the supply of pulses. So far, the state Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare (FSCW) official seized around 11,000 quintals of pulses from various godowns across the state during raids.

FSCW Secretary Madhusudan Padee said the crackdown against traders would be continued in the state and officials have seized around 11,000 quintals of pulses in the state. And some of the traders hoarding pulses at godowns without valid licenses.

Some traders alleged that the state government did not ask for the list of hoarding stock for last five years, and recently it started de-hoarding drive against traders.