Strike hits normal life in Wayanad on second day

Hartal-like situation in small towns of the district

Staff Reporter

KALPETTA

The two-day nationwide strike called by some trade unions “against Centre’s anti-people policies” affected normal life in the district on the second day on Tuesday. 

Though the Kerala High Court had declared that the work boycott by government staff was illegal, attendance was low in government offices and financial institutions.

 Only 21 out of the 160 employees turned up for duty at the collectorate here. Nine of the 29 staff of the Wayanad sub collectorate office also turned up for duty. 

While as many as 10 of the 161 staff of the Revenue department in Mananthavady taluk were present at duty, 22 of the 141 staffers in Sulthan Bathery taluk and 12 of the 144 staffers in Vythiri taluk attended duty on the day, Revenue Department sources said. .

The strike led to a hartal-like situation in small towns of the district with shops, educational institutions, and business establishments remaining closed. Attendance was low in other government offices and financial institutions.

While private buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis stayed off the road, two-wheelers and other private vehicles plied. The KSRTC operated services to Kalpetta and Mananthavady from Sulthan Bathery depot in the morning.

The KSRTC sources said that they would operate five long route schedules, including Sulthan Bathery-Thiruvananthapuram and Sulthan Bathery–Kumily schedules on the day in the evening. 

No untoward incidents were reported from anywhere in the district, the police said.