Normal life was thrown out of gear in the district for the second consecutive day on Wednesday due to the Telangana JAC- sponsored 48-hour bandh, which drew to a close without any major untoward incident in the district.
The coal production in all the four underground and six opencast projects spread across Kothagudem, Yellendu and Manuguru areas in the district remained totally affected. The 48-hour shutdown resulted in huge production loss of nearly Rs. 55 crores at a crucial time, with just 35 days left for the end of the current financial year.
RTC services hit
The APSRTC suspended its bus services for the second day in a row, as its entire fleet was confined to the depots. The corporation suffered operational losses to an extent of Rs. 1 crore due to the bandh. Commuters, particularly those bound to far off destinations, faced severe ordeals in the marriage season following cancellation of the services for two days.
Educational institutions, government offices, banks, cinema theatres, petrol pumps and other commercial establishments in Khammam and various other parts of the district remained closed on day two also, bringing the life to a virtual standstill.
‘Vanta Varpu'
Government employees, including pro-Telangana activists, staged a novel demonstration titled ‘Vanta Varpu' by cooking and serving food in public on the premises of the Collectorate as part of the ongoing non-cooperation agitation. The pro-Telangana protagonists formed a human chain and staged ‘Telangana Aata Pata' programme under the aegis of the JAC at Mayuri Centre in Khammam. The artistes of Arunodaya Samskruthika Samakya, activists of the PDSU, PYL and POW, besides the pro-Telangana parties, participated in the programme. Speaking on the occasion, CPI (ML-New Democracy) district secretary P. Ranga Rao said that the overwhelming success of the 48-hour bandh should be “eye opener” to the Central Government. “The Centre should initiate urgent steps to carve out separate Telangana forthwith,” he demanded.
