The Hindu : Kerala News : Social activist to launch campaign against hartal

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Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007
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Kerala

Social activist to launch campaign against hartal

R. Ramabhadran Pillai

Seeks information on hartals under the Right to Information Act

Ten hartals/ strikes in district in 2006
Eleven hartals/strikes in Kochi city

KOCHI: Ernakulam district witnessed at least 10 hartals or strikes in 2006. The loss to public property from them was to the tune of Rs.9,000, according to information received from the authorities under the Right to Information (RTI ) Act.

The information was sought by M.K. Haridas, a social activist.

Police response

A note issued by district police office, Ernakulam Rural, stated that there were nine declared hartals/strikes and the remaining one was observed without prior declaration.

The applicant also sought information on the loss of productivity due to the hartals/strikes during the period from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2006, but the authorities could not provide any details regarding it.

In a separate statement issued by city police office in response to the applicant’s query, the number of hartals/strikes observed in Kochi city was registered as 11.

This would mean that the city experienced at least one more hartal/strike than those in the district.

The amount of loss/damage caused to Government property in connection with the hartal/strikes was Rs.8,900.

No loss of life

No death was reported during the year in connection with the hartal/strikes, according to the official statement.

This account pertains to direct loss of life; indirect loss of life does not figure in it.

For instance, there could be several cases of delay in getting vehicles to take patients to hospitals and this may have lead to their death subsequently.

Loss due to strikes

In the case of economic loss, the official intimation pertains to the loss to public property. But the loss incurred by various establishments, both public and private, would be huge.

In fact, such loss would run into crores of rupees and it would be difficult to get an exact figure.

The applicant has collected similar information from all the districts in the State.

Accordingly, Thrissur district topped the list with 59 hartals/strikes, while Kozhikode district registered 10 hartals/strikes.

Thiruvananthapuram city registered 11 hartals, while the Thiruvananthapuram rural police reported 19 hartals, according to statements from the respective police authorities.

Memorandum

Mr. Haridas, an office-bearer of a public service organisation, plans to submit a memorandum to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan highlighting the issue.

An awareness campaign on the loss to the exchequer as well as the public apart from the inconvenience caused to them would also be launched, he says.

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