'Hartal' affects normal life at Wynad in Kerala

Kalpetta, Jan 17 (UNI) Normal life was affected in Wynad district of Kerala following the strike in protest against the state government's failure to resolve the crisis faced by the farming community in the hilly district.

Educational institutions, shops and business establishments remained closed in the dawn-to-dusk 'hartal' called by the Joint Action Committee of farmers.

Public transport, including private and state-owned buses, were off the road and offices reported thin attendance.

Five demonstrators, who tried to block the road near Vellamunda, had been taken into preventive custody, police said, adding, the stir was by and large peaceful as no untoward incident had been reported from anywhere in the district so far.

Threatening to intensify the agitation, leaders spearheading the stir criticised the government for not initiating any steps to end the 77-day 'dharna' in front of the Civil Station by the Farmers' Relief Forum, demanding settlement of outstanding issues of the peasants.

Many debt-ridden farmers committed suicide in the district during the last couple of years for their reported failure to repay agricultural loans taken from various financial institutions, including private agencies, which levied exorbitant interest.

The phenomenon was continuing unabated despite announcement of certain remedial measures by the government.

UNI