Day One Bandh of TUs paralyses life in Sundargarh

Rourkela: Life in the Sundargarh district was severely affected due to the two-day strike called by 11 central trade unions against the anti-people policies of the UPA government at the Centre. Passengers were stranded at many places as vehicles, including private ones, remained off roads and train services were slightly affected here. With all banking unions joining the strike, banking services were completely crippled in the district as well as in Rourkela. Business at the few shops which did remain open was dull. Attendance at government offices, schools and colleges was thin.

Work in the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) remained unaffected despite the 48-hour Bharat Bandh call by all central trade unions including Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and other workers’ federations of the Steel City here today which passed off peacefully.

While all contractual workers of the RSP joined the strike, the work inside the plant was normal due to the presence of regular employees. The morning shift workers entered the plant little early than the scheduled timing to prevent themselves from any untoward incident of strike. There was 99.9 per cent attendance of RSP employees inside the plant, said a senior plant official.

However, all trading establishments in Rourkela such as Daily market, Ispat market, Traffic gate market and Panposh daily market, filling stations, banks, insurance offices, post offices, BSNL office, schools and colleges remained closed.

Barring the movement of two-wheelers, all transport vehicles stayed off the road. Commuters in the city suffered hardship as buses and auto-rickshaws remained off the road in support of the two-day nationwide strike called by the central trade unions. Train services, which were affected for two hours in the morning, became normal later in the day. However, there was normal functioning of the courts.

Hundreds of contractual labourers joined the rally in day-one of the strike protested shouting slogans, holding placards, banners and party flags. CITU leaders criticized the Central as well as State Government saying that it was undemocratic and illegal. The leaders also protested against the UPA government’s economic and labour policies.

Odisha AITUC president Ashok Das said the massive response of contractual workers under this union has paralyzed coal and iron ore mining in the district resulting hundreds of the tippers lined up at Koida, Kalta, Raksi, Bonai, Kirei chowk, Bhojpur chowk and Banpali chowk etc. 400 Asha and Anganwadi Karmis blocked the National Highway near Tangarpali Block. People from every section i.e., from rural to urban standard responded the strike positively.

In the mines of Basundhar-Garjanbahal (B-G) area of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) in Hemgir block, coal production and dispatch were completely paralysed due to strike by tippers association and AITUC along with other trade unions in this area. MCL on a daily basis produced 35,000 tonnes of coal from the B-G area mines. Similarly, iron ore production and dispatch from the SAIL mines and 22 private mines in Koida and Bonai block were hit, Das informed.

Apart from this, the bandh was a success at the headquarter towns of Sundargarh district. The Government and private establishment were closed.

To ward off any untoward incident, 12 platoons of police were deployed at the key areas of the city along with four DSPs, 10 inspectors, 50 sub-inspectors and 200 home guards. “No one was detained during the bandh”, informed Additional SP, Rourkela Sudarsan Sethi.