12-hr bandh ends peacefully

By By Our Reporter On Aug 7, 2014

An otherwise busy Iewduh and Khyndai Lad wear a deserted look during the 12-hour bandh called by the State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners and Dealers' Forum on Wednesday. (ST) — An otherwise busy Iewduh and Khyndai Lad wear a deserted look during the 12-hour bandh called by the State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners and Dealers’ Forum on Wednesday. (ST)

Our Bureau

SHILLONG/JOWAI/TURA: The State took a day off on Wednesday courtesy the dawn-to-dusk bandh call given by the State Co-ordination Committee of Coal Owners, Miners and Dealers’ Forum which disrupted normal life.

The bandh, which ended at 5pm, passed off peacefully with no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state.

The 12-hour bandh was called by the Forum in protest against the State Government’s failure to comply with the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order to prepare an inventory of extracted coal in the State, resulting in continuation of ban on coal transportation.

In the state capital, shops and big business establishments in the major commercial areas like Iewduh and Khyndailad remained closed while small shops in different localities did business as usual.

During the day, the financial and educational institutions remained closed while some Central Government offices functioned with a thin attendance.

Vehicular movement was thin as compared to normal days with some vehicles, mostly government and some private cars including taxis, were seen plying on the road. The state transport buses were also seen plying in different parts of the city.

“The overall percentage of attendance of office goers in East Khai Hills district stands at 70 per cent,” East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal said adding that Deputy Commissioner’s office recorded 83% attendance.

Security was beefed up in the city and strong presence of security personnel was seen in some areas of the city.

The bandh was peaceful in both East and West Jaintia Hills districts.

Government offices recorded only 30 percent attendance in East Jaintia Hills district where as the bandh had no impact on government offices in West Jaintia Hills as 92.8 percent office attendance was recorded.

Normal life was disrupted in Tura and the rest of Garo Hills by the bandh which was near total in the Garo Hills region where shops remained closed, public transport went off the roads and educational institutions remained closed.