Normal life was paralysed in Puducherry on Tuesday as a majority of traders, hawkers and several commercial establishments downed the shutters condemning the alleged unilateral action taken by Puducherry Municipality on illegal encroachments.
Late Monday, traders and hawkers, under the banner of Puducherry All Traders Protection and Welfare Association gave the call for the dawn to dusk closure of shops. The organisation owes its allegiance to Rajya Sabha MP P. Kannan.
Shops and commercial establishments remain closed on Jawaharlal Nehru Street, Lal Bahadur Street, Mission Street, Anna Road, Kamaraj Road and other areas. Several shops in Grand Bazaar too remain closed. To avert any untoward incidents, armed police personnel are guarding at the main junctions of the city.
Teashops, roadside eateries and restaurants too are not functioning and several parts of the city wear a deserted look from morning.
Puducherry All Traders Protection and Welfare Association said that commerce and business in the Union Territory was very dull and several traders are uncertain about their business activities. Under the unfortunate situation, Puducherrry Municipality on Friday midnight damaged properties of several business establishments worth several thousand rupees without any prior notice and also removed the advertisement boards and electrical equipments, they alleged.
B. Nakkeeran a member of the association said, “The unilateral action of municipality caused immense mental stress to traders and hawkers. They took action without any prior notice to us. The municipal
administration has been functioning in an autocratic manner.”
However, functioning of government establishments, schools and hospitals and transport services were not affected due to the strike.
