The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Hartal evokes poor response

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 24, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Hartal evokes poor response

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, APRIL 23. The 12-hour hartal called by the Shiv Sena in Ernakulam district on Friday in protest against the District Collector banning the holding of the Elavoor `thookkam' evoked only partial response in the city and its suburbs.

Vehicular traffic was near normal in the city although private buses operated in depleted numbers. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation(KSRTC) operated its normal schedule from the Ernakulam depot, although from the Aluva depot some of the services touching the Elavoor area were cancelled for the day.

Private bus operators in the district had declared that they would operate the normal schedule unless there were attacks on buses.

Private vehicles and autorickshaws were on the roads as usual later in the morning.

Attendance at the Cochin University of Science and Technology's administrative office was about 50 per cent as the University did not operate any of its transport buses on Friday. Classes were not affected as most of the students are preparing for examinations.

Attendance at the district collectorate and the Civil Station in Kakkanad was below normal. Working of public sector undertakings like the Cochin Shipyard Limited and Cochin Port Trust were not affected by the hartal.

The movement of cargo to and from the port and attendance at the administrative office were normal. Operations of the Kochi Refineries Limited were not affected by the hartal.

Although small shops and business establishments in and around Ernakulam remained open, major markets were closed. The Ernakulam main market, including the vegetables market, did not transact business today, as movement of lorries were limited this morning.

The Mahatma Gandhi University had cancelled all examinations scheduled for today on account of the hartal.

Meanwhile, the Binanipuram police have registered a case in connection with the damage of the windshields of two private buses at Peedikappadi in West Kadungalloor on Friday morning.

The police attributed the attack on the private buses that were parked in the area to a rivalry between two groups of bus workers. The police said that the incident may not be connected with the hartal. It was also learnt that the police had taken a Shiv Sena leader into preventive custody.

The city police had beefed up security in view of the hartal and policemen were posted at some of the key areas in the city.

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