TN bandh evokes mixed response

Factories, offices, state & govt offices, public transport run normally; autos, shopkeepers join strike, private schools shut

The bandh called by the opposition parties and traders in Tamil Nadu on Friday over the Cauvery water dispute and the attacks on Tamils and their property in Karnataka has received a mixed response. No law and order issues were reported at the time of filing this report.

While factories, IT companies, private and government offices were functioning normally, the bandh organisers say the loss due to the general strike would be over Rs 20,000 crore, since shops were shut and lorries were not operating.

The 12-hour bandh called by traders started at 6 a.m. and was called supported by the DMK and all other major political parties, save the ruling AIADMK.

 

DMK leader M K Stalin led the protest at Egmore and blocked trains. He and several leaders were detained on Friday while staging protests in support of the bandh.

The state government ensured that public schools, transport and state government offices remained open and running.

About 99 per cent of the 18,000-odd private schools were shut, withh several having declared Friday a holiday, according to private school organisations.

While private petrol bunks were shut, outlets run by public sector companies were operating normally. There are around 4,500 privately-owned fuel outlets.

Private milk and petrol distributors, autorickshaws, omni-buses, traders and others announced their participation. However state-run Aavin, the major milk supplier, was not affected.

Members of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Traders Association took part in the shut down strike and shops and hotels were closed till 6 p.m. on Friday. There are about 2.1 million retailers in the state. T Nagar, the retail hub of Tamil Nadu, was shut.

Similarly vegetable wholesale markets are also closed.

Of the 3,400 buses in Chennai, about 70-75 per cent were operating with police protection. Autos were operating partially. There are about 250,000 autos in Chennai.

Trains were blocked in various parts of the state and locals trains were running late for two hours in Chennai.

The police have taken necessary measures to prevent any untoward incidents across the state.

Additional security were provided to organisations owned by Kannadigas. There are about over 411 Karnataka-based establishments including banks, hotels, educational institutions and others in Tamil Nadu.