NEW DELHI: Normal life in several parts of the country continued to remain affected on Day 2 of the nationwide strike called by the trade unions.
Cops in Noida are on high alert, after widespread violence on the first day of the strike. According to TV reports, several schools and offices in Noida have been closed.
The UP government has formed a two-member panel to probe the violence in Noida on the first day of the two-day nationwide shutdown.
The state government late on Wednesday named additional director general of police (Law and Order) Arun Kumar and home secretary Rakesh as members of the probe committee and asked them to submit a fact finding report within three days.
Principal secretary (Home) RM Srivastava told IANS that "toughest action" would be taken against those found guilty of violence.
The committee has been asked to look into the state of preparedness of the Noida police to handle the shutdown and identify district officials guilty of dereliction of duty.
"The government has taken a serious note of the whole episode, wherein properties were gutted, people were beaten up and several vehicles were set on fire. There should be no doubt that the government would crack down on all found guilty," Srivastava said.
Violence erupted on Wednesday in Noida and Greater Noida where factories were targeted and set on fire. Violent clashes took place and several vehicles were set afire.
Officials have started screening the video footage of the violence in order to identify and book the perpetrators.
"We are also exploring possibilities of slapping the National Security Act (NSA) on the rioters," a senior official said.
State government sources said chief minister Akhilesh Yadav was particularly miffed at the Noida violence as he views it as a big blow to his efforts to create a pro-investment climate in Uttar Pradesh.
"The chief minister has taken a serious note of the clashes as it could send a wrong signal that industries are not safe in UP," an official said.
Bank operations hit
Normal banking operations were hit for the second day on Thursday as public sector bank employees continued their strike.
It is, however, business as usual at private sector banks like ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank.
Employees of public sector insurance companies, including LIC and New India Assurance, are also participating in the strike.
Shutdown in Kerala
In Kerala, workers from most sectors ranging from transport to banking keeping away from work.
Reports from across the state said buses and taxis were off the roads and markets remained shut. Train and air services were not affected.
Attendance in government offices was thin and educational institutions remained closed as pro-Left service and teachers unions joined the strike. Universities have cancelled examinations scheduled for the last two days.
Barring stray incidents of minor violence, the state has remained peaceful since Wednesday.
Police in their vehicles facilitated the short-distance travels of train and air passengers, who arrived in the state unaware of the hartal atmosphere.
Emergency services like healthcare, milk supply and media have been exempted from the strike.
Schools, colleges closed in Karnataka
The two-day nationwide strike by trade unions had no major impact in most parts of Karnataka on Thursday.
Though banking services were hit, many buses, taxis and autos plied and shops and hotels remained opened here. However, schools and colleges were closed.
No violence was reported from any part of the state, police said.
Services at many hospitals in the city were not hit, as also in IT companies. Several PSUs including HAL, BHEL and BEL, besides a host of other industrial units in Bangalore were functioning normally.
Protests in Andhra Pradesh
Employees of banks and public sector organisations in Andhra Pradesh continued their protests on the second day of the two-day strike called by Central trade unions in support of their various demands.
The personnel of various organisations, who stayed away from work on Wednesday, began their protests in Hyderabad and other places in Andhra Pradesh.
The employees of various PSU banks and workers in the unorganised sector took out protest rallies in Hyderabad and other parts of the state.
Services in banking and other PSU organisations were badly affected on the first day of the 48-hour general strike on Wednesday.
AITUC state unit president and MLC PJ Chandrasekhar Rao had claimed that the strike was being held in an unprecedented manner with staff of the state-run miner Singareni Collieries, Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) joining the stir.
He claimed that 75 per cent of RTC buses, the principal mode of public transport in AP, remained off the roads on Wednesday.
Life normal in West Bengal
Life remained normal in West Bengal on the second day of nationwide strike called by central trade unions, though banking services continued to be affected with majority of ATMs dried up of cash.
Customers were highly inconvenienced as banks, both nationalised and private, were closed in the state with many ATMs remaining non-functional as well.
Transport services, which were exempted from the strike in the state on Thursday, remained normal and office-goers and other people went about their work as usual.
Shops, markets and business establishments were open and private and government transport services functioned as usual in different parts of the state.
No untoward incident has been reported from any part of the state so far, police sources said.
"The situation is absolutely peaceful," state police sources said adding.
Most schools and colleges too were open and classes were held normally.
No impact in Mangalore
In Mangalore, however, there has been no effect of strike on Day 2. The buses are plying normally and the schools are functioning as usual.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
Day 2 of nationwide strike: Several states affected; little impact in West Bengal
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Day 2 of nationwide strike: Several states affected; little impact in West Bengal
