By Nityanand Shukla,IANS,
Ranchi : Jharkhand’s economy has suffered a loss of around Rs.200 crore in the two-day strike called by Maoist rebels from Monday, according to business circles here.
The banned outlawed group, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), called the strike in protest against the arrest of two leaders.
The shutdown crippled transportation, mining and other business activities in the state. Even railway services on certain routes were affected.
Maoist rebels blew up a railway track in Latehar district. According to sources, the railways have suffered loss of around Rs.40 crore in the past two days.
According to an estimate of the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI), around 2,500 buses and 4,200 trucks were stranded for two days, leading to bus and truck owners incurring losses of around Rs.8-9 crore.
Transportation of coal and iron ore have also been affected, with FJCCI estimating the mining sector to have suffered losses of around Rs.100 crore.
Four trucks were burnt, causing the owners to incur a loss of Rs.50 lakh. Apart from this, three mobiles towers were also set on fire.
“Jharkhand has suffered losses of thousands of crores due to the strike in the past eight and half years,” said Sharad Poddar, a member of the Jharkhand Small Scale Industries Association.
“Maoists should be rational while enforcing strike. It also affects the poor,” Poddar added.
According to the police, the strike was the 24th called by Maoist rebels this year. And since formation of the state in November 2000, they have called such strikes 105 times.
“Maoists call strike to prove their might and extort money from people,” a police official involved in anti-Maoist operations told IANS.
Maoist guerrillas are active in 18 of the 24 districts of Jharkhand. Nearly 1,500 people have been killed in Maoist-related violence in the past eight years.