The strike, however, had little impact on the industry as the bandh call had been given by only the small-unit traders, who faced the problems. Major diamond units continued to function normally.

But with SDA president Devshi Bhadiyadra forming an 11-member committee to look into the grievances of diamond unit owners, brokers and workers, the impasse is likely to end by Tuesday night.

This time round, the industry is up in arms against Mumbai-based diamond dealers -- most of the polished diamonds from Surat are sent there -- who they allege are delaying payments and not issuing full payment of the diamonds.

According to the small traders, they even have to pay high angadia charges for the payments send by Mumbai parties. The charges, which used to be Rs 4.75 for Rs 100 until recently, has been hiked to Rs 10 per hundred.

The small-unit traders and brokers had initially taken up the issue with the Surat Diamond Association, which had assured them of a solution as soon as possible. In fact, the small traders had even approached the Saurashtra Patidaar Samaj -- a parent cultural body of the Saurashtrian population here -- which had in turn begun talks with the SDA.

Most of the traders, brokers, diamond workers and even owners of diamond units here are migrants from the Saurashtra region. Meanwhile, SDA office-bearers have assured the small traders that a code of conduct will soon be put in place.