Normal life is likely to be disrupted on account of the Statewide dawn-to-dusk motor strike on March 2 called by the Kerala Motor Vyavasaya Samrakshana Samiti to protest against the frequent hike in the price of petroleum products and cooking gas.
Except the BMS, all other trade unions pledged support to the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. stir called by the samiti, an umbrella organisation of the trade unions affiliated to INTUC, CITU, AITUC, and organisations of owners of various class of vehicles like private stage carriers, lorries, trucks and other commercial vehicles.
Taxies, autorickshaw and the private stage carriers across the State would remain off the road in response to the strike call, the samiti claimed. Normal life would be affected as public transport would be hit.
Operations of the State-owned fleet of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) would be affected, as the two recognised unions—INTUC-affiliated Transport Democratic Federation (TDF) and CITU-affiliated Kerala State Road Transport Employees Association—were supporting the cause. However, the third recognised union in the KSRTC—the BMS affiliated Kerala State Transport Employees Sangh (KSTES)—would not participate in the motor strike.
“We are observing Black Day to protest against the delay in regulating the price of petrol and high speed diesel. The stir by those who are opposing the Centre’s move to bring petrol and diesel into the Goods and Service Tax net is politically motivated,” KSTES general secretary G.L. Rajesh said.
Exams postponed
The SSLC and Plus Two higher secondary and vocational higher secondary model examinations scheduled for Tuesday were postponed to March 8. Universities, including Mahatma Gandhi, CUSAT and Calicut, also postponed the examinations scheduled for Tuesday on account of the strike.
On March 8
The SSLC English model examination would be held from 9.40 a.m. on March 8 and the Hindi/General Knowledge paper at 1.40 p.m. the same day. For Plus Two higher secondary students, the Chemistry, History, Islamic History, Business Studies, and Communicative English papers would be held in the morning session on March 8, while Mathematics, Part 3 Languages, Sanskrit Shastra, and Psychology papers would be held in the afternoon.
Published - March 01, 2021 08:00 pm IST
