Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai   

Secretariat, govt. offices near-empty

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai April 10. The one-day strike called by major State Government employees unions today evoked significant response as the Secretariat here and government offices in various parts of Tamil Nadu were near empty.

The protesting employees' unions led by JACTO-GEO are demanding withdrawal of the recent cuts effected in pension and gratuity benefits.

Of the 7,500 staff in the Secretariat, seat of power in Tamil Nadu, barely a few hundreds reported for work. In most offices in the Secretariat, only IAS officers turned up, and even some under secretaries and joint secretaries kept off. However, the staff of the Records and Bills sections of the Legislature department turned up which helped normal transaction of business in the Assembly.

At the Ezhilagam, which houses the Directorates of several departments, normal functioning was affected as a majority of the staff kept off. Similarly, several District Collectorates functioned with skeleton staff.

Reports from the districts said the attendance at several government offices was low and some schools also were closed as the teachers also joined the protest.

Though the Government had threatened to use the Essential Services Maintenance Act against the protesting employees, none was booked yet under the stringent law, which provides for three-year jail term for those in essential services going on strike, the police said.

However, officials claimed that "government functioning" did not come to a standstill as they managed with skeleton staff.

"The strike only showed that half the employees are surplus and that we can manage with just 30-50 per cent efficient staff," said a senior government official.

But, the JACTO-GEO claimed that its call for one-day strike had received an "overwhelming response" and that nil attendance was reported in all government offices.

Meanwhile, the members of the COTA-GEO, a rival employees federation, observed fast, demanding restoration of full pension and gratuity benefits.

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