Bhubaneswar, May 18: Amid the ongoing fuel crisis and steep rise in diesel prices, the Odisha State Truck Owners’ Federation has threatened to halt truck transportation services across the state. Alleging heavy financial losses, the federation accused the government of neglecting the concerns of freight transport operators while increasing fares for passenger buses.

Federation general secretary Pranab Kumar Parija said truck freight charges have not been revised since 2008. He alleged that despite High Court directives, the government has failed to fix minimum freight rates for general truck transportation, though rates for mineral transportation were revised in 2021.

Federation vice-president (Eastern Zone) Biranchi Narayan Parida said thousands of trucks are stranded along roadsides due to the diesel shortage, further worsening the situation for transporters. He warned that if the government fails to control diesel price hikes and resolve the fuel crisis, the federation will launch a statewide agitation in the coming days.