Itanagar, Imphal, Guwahati: The nation-wide 24-hour general strike called by eleven central trade unions effected banking sector badly in Northeastern states.
The employees of government banks besides BSNL, LIC, postal services, insurance company in the state have joined the countrywide agitation.
The striking employees of a few Central government offices were seen picketing since morning in front of their respective offices with banners and shouting slogans in favour of their demands.
Though all private banks in the state remained open and functioned normally, it encountered problrms in clearing services.
Bank union sources informed UNI that about seven to eight hundred staffs of various banks throughout the state joined the nation strike.
However, all modes of private and government vehicles operated normally. The state transport buses were seen plying on the road as usual in the morning.
Meanwhile, normal life was hit across Assam due to the nationwide general strike.
All commercial vehicles, including trucks, passenger buses and small passenger vehicles, kept off the roads in response to the strike.
The strike paralysed the commercial vehicle services across the state, including Dhubri, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Tinsukia and Guwahati.
The state-run buses also refused to ply during the strike, leaving passengers stranded across the state.
Business establishments in various places chose to keep their shutters down in response to the strike.
Services in various government offices, including BSNL and post office, were also disrupted as trade union members and leaders of these organisations gathered in front of the offices and raised slogans.
Security arrangements had been tightened and extra forces deployed in the state to ensure that no untoward incident takes place during the strike.
Meanwhile, a 12-hour shutdown in Manipur by 75 trade unions, in support of the Tuesday’s nation-wide general strike called by eleven Central Trade Unions, affected normal life .
All business establishments and banking institutes were closed.
Though almost all the modes of transportation remained off the road, vehicles meant to ferry students were exempted as Class X and Class XII examinations are underway in the state.
Those who supported the strike included All Manipur Shops and Establishment Employees’ Union, All Manipur Construction Workers’ Union, All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Workers’ Union, All Manipur Rickshaw Drivers and Pullers’ Welfare Union, Khwairamband Keithel Nupi Vendors’ Welfare Union, All Manipur PHED Employees’ Association, All Manipur Newspaper Sales and Distributors’ Union, All Manipur Bank Employees’ Association among others. (UNI)