Date:21/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/21/stories/2008082150330300.htm

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Tamil Nadu - Udhagamandalam

Strike call evokes mixed reaction in Nilgiris district

D.Radhakrishnan

Work in plantation sector hit in some places but normal life not affected

Photo: D. Radhakrishnan

We protest: Activists at a demonstration organised by the CITU in Udhagamandalam on Wednesday. —

Udhagamandalam: The call for a general strike by various trade unions evoked a mixed reaction in the Nilgiris district.

While all the banks except some like the State Bank of India, the Indian Overseas Bank and the Nilgiris District Central Cooperative bank did not function, the strike was cent per cent in the insurance offices.

Work in the plantation sector was hit in some places.

While in some of the state government offices all the employees abstained, in some only the officers turned up and in others like the judiciary and the police the attendance was not affected.

Since buses, autorickshaws, taxies and private vehicles plied as usual and commercial establishments remained open, normal life was not hit.

No incidents

Speaking to The Hindu, the Superintendent of Police, A.G.Babu said that no untoward incidents were reported in any part of the district.

Stating that picketing was resorted to by supporters of various unions like the CITU and AITUC at about eight places including Udhagamandalam, Coonoor, Kollacombai, Gudalur, Manjoor and Pandhalur, he said that 1,141 persons including 563 women were rounded up.

Attendance

He claimed that the attendance was about 90 percent in Central government offices and all the state government offices functioned as usual.

Meanwhile representatives of trade unions said that the demands included steps to bring down the prices, removal of anti labour recommendations in the 6th pay commission, payment of minimum wages to plantation workers, hike in wages for the employees of the Industrial Cooperative Tea Factories, payment of dues to the employees of the Manjushree plantations and protection of workers interests in public sector undertakings like the Hindustan Photo Films.

They added that one of major demands was the restoration of normalcy in the Pasteur Institute of India at Coonoor.