Trade unions' strike hits normal life in Odisha

Estimated loss to GSDP pegged at Rs 800 crore, train and vehicular traffic disrupted

Trade and industry operations and above all, the normal life were hit during the bandh in Odisha, observed in response a two-day all India strike call given by central trade unions.

“Banking transactions to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore are affected. We oppose the Banking Laws (amendment) Bill and outsourcing of the regular banking jobs and service to private contract agencies,” said Jyoti Bhusan Mohapatra, Convenor, United Forum of Bank Unions, Odisha Unit.

UFBU is an umbrella organisation for nine trade unions of PSU banks.

As many as 30,000 bank employees of about 5,000 branches stayed away from office and all clearing houses remained closed on the first day of the stir.

“As mining and industrial sector contributes around 50 per cent to the gross state domestic product (GSDP), the expected loss to the GSDP will be around Rs 800 crore in these two days,” said Ramesh Mohapatra, President, Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The state government will lose around Rs 65-Rs 70 crore by way of tax while the Centre’s loss will be pegged around Rs 40-Rs 50 crore, he added.

The traders in the state anticipated the loss to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore due to the strike as most of the commercial establishments pulled down their shutters on the first day of the stir.

The normal life in the state was disrupted as the vehicular traffic in most part of the state remained off roads. The bandh impacted rail services. Due to rail roko, as many as nine express trains were short terminated, one train was cancelled and two trans were rescheduled by the East Coast Railway (ECoR) authorities.

The effect of the bandh was more prominent in industrial towns like Rourkela, Paradip, Sundergarh, Keojhar, Talcher and Angul.

The Angul-Dhenkanal industrial hub witnessed a mixed impact of the bandh. Units of GMR Energy and Bhushan Steel were paralysed since no worker turned up for work.

Industries in Angul including coal mines, however, reported normal operations. National Thermal Power Corporation’s (NTPC) power station and National Aluminium Company's (Nalco) smelter complex functioned normally though the aluminium major recorded less attendance.

Officials of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) said all the regular workers in both Talcher and Ib valley field turned up for work while most of the contractual workers stayed away from their duties.