Strike blow to hit IT units

Despite declaring IT and ITES as public utility services, the sector will be virtually closed tomorrow due to the Citu (a 'left' trade union) sponsored bandh.

On the day of the Opposition bandh on February 3, most IT companies were open largely because it was a 12-hour bandh. Moreover, it was sponsored by the Trinamool party.

Industry sources said, given the uncertainty, the office would be officially open, but they feared many employees may stay away.

Citu has already said that the union did not recognise IT and ITES companies as public utility services.

Some companies said that they were apprehensive about the effectiveness of the public utility service stickers provided by the IT department.

Many of the car rental companies refused to operate even with the stickers. They were unsure about the validity of the stickers.

When asked whether Webel and the IT department would be open tomorrow, state IT minister Manabendra Mukherjee said that the offices would remain open but, if some of the employees decide to support the bandh, then it was likely that they would stay away.

Mukherjee said that adequate security measures would be taken, most of the IT and ITES companies in Salt Lake's Sector V have decided not to operate tomorrow.