UDF hartal gets underway in Idukki

The hilly district of Idukki wore a deserted look as vehicles remained off the roads and shops downed shutters in many places today, in response to the strike call by the Opposition against the Kerala government's decision to include 123 villages under Ecologically Fragile areas.
As per the early reports, no untoward incidents were reported and the hartal was total.
The Congress-led UDF opposition alleged that the state government had recently filed an affidaivt in the High Court stating that 123 villages in Western Ghats lay completely within the Ecologically fragile areas.
They also expressed their disappointment against the Left government's attitude towards the Kasturirangan report on the preservation and protection of Western Ghats.

Three villages in neighbouring Kottayam district, namely Poonjar, Kootyikkkal and Peekoyi are also partipating in the hartal.