Shutdown hits Kerala

A strike called by transporters, fishermen and farmers' unions affected normal life in Kerala on Wednesday, with villages and coastal areas the worst hit.

Shops and establishments did not open across the state in response to the 12-hour general strike that ends at 6 p.m.

Few public vehicles plied in cities. Most villages were cut off due to lack of public transport in the countryside, residents and police reports said.

All university examinations scheduled on Wednesday have been postponed. Most private offices were closed and attendances in government offices was well below normal.

The Transport Workers Union has called the strike to protest against what it says is the indiscriminate hike in insurance premiums and fuel price.

The farmers union is furious over falling prices of cash crops, especially rubber.

The Kerala Fisheries Coordination Committee is ranged against the recommendations of a report which advocates the use of deep sea vessels, saying it would kill their traditional profession.