Bengal worst hit in general strike

Chief Minister claims 98% attendance

Mamata Banerjee-led state government made all possible efforts to maintain normal life largely ensuring adequate transport services. But, all efforts of the state government failed to assure common people as the state-run buses and trams were plying with very few passengers.

State government-run buses, taxis, trams, trains and Metro rail services were largely normal though private buses were plying in fewer number. According to state transport department, over 1300 state-run buses were on the road, which is 100 more than that of any regular day.

According to official numbers attendance at Writers’ Building, which houses the state secretariat, stood at about 65-70 per cent. Mamata Banerjee announced in a press conference that government departments across the state saw better than usual attendance.

 

“There was no bandh. Everything was open. It has failed totally with 100 per cent attendance by government employees in most places,'' Mamata Banerjee said.

Shops, markets and business establishments were also mostly closed in the city. Air services in NSC Bose international airport were normal. Bandh supporters blocked railway tracks in some areas in the morning at Sealdah division. Apart from these train services were also normal.

But, few people in the city came out to avail the services, prompting many private bus and taxi owners withdrew their vehicles.

“We made two trips in the morning. But, there is no point in running buses as there is hardly any passengers,” a conductor of a private bus said.

The information technology sector reported attendance of almost 70 per cent. But much of this was due to the efforts put in by the companies themselves.

Those like Wipro who reported 80 per cent attendance have provided for pick and drop facilities, to ensure uninterrupted operations in the critical voice business process outsourcing (BPO) vertical.

However, in companies like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), whose bulk of operations come from IT, just 20 per cent workers reported to office. Cognizant is also planning to work on Saturday to make up for the enforced day off. Also, banking operations were completely stopped in the state on Tuesday even as branches of all nationalised, private and foreign banks remained closed. Meanwhile, general strike called by 11 central trade unions as political flashpoint in West Bengal and political clashes between ruling TMC and Left supporters were reported in the city and the outskirts.

While, five people were reportedly injured at Barasat in North 24 Parganas in political clash, there were also reports that TMC workers allegedly vandalises CPI(M) zonal committee office at Jadavpur. Some journalists were also injured, in the political clash at Jadavpur, in south Kolkata.

However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, denied any such incidents. “All these were planned and staged.” Banerjee also “congratulated” common people of the state for making the general strike “unsuccessful”. “This is beginning of the end of the bandh regime,” she said.Banerjee also claimed, there were “about 98 to 100 per cent attendance in all government offices in the state”.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier had warned of action, including break in service, in case state government employees failed to turn up for duty. This prompted many employees in the state secretariat to spend the night at respective departments to join work on Tuesday.Work at the mines of Coal India Ltd and its subsidiaries was only partially affected by the strike. “Out of the total 453 running mines, 413 mines were open while the remaining 40 were closed. Out of the closed mines, majority are from the Western Coalfields. In other subsidiaries, there was not too much of an impact,” said R Mohandas, director (personnel) of CIL.

However, Shyamal Chakravarty, state president of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) claimed that the bandh was a success. “Seven flights were cancelled and people did not turn up for work in support of the bandh, which was a complete success,” he claimed.