CITU strike peaceful in Bengal so far: Raj Kanojia

Kolkata, Aug 8 (UNI) Life was partially affected as the CITU called nationwide strike began in West Bengal this morning.

Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia said the strike was peaceful and no untoward incidents were reported so far.

Trains, buses and metro rails in the city ran regularly as did ferry services, while functioning was near normal in factories, banks, government and private establishments.

Most of the educational institutions were also open, he added.

However, the number of buses plying on the roads were less while all taxis, autos and rickshaws remained immobile causing hardship to commuters.

Thousands of passengers at NSCBI airport and Howrah station faced difficulty in reaching their destinations, Mr Kanojia said.

Trucks, lorries and tankers were also off the road paralysing goods transportation.

The CITU unit of Bengal has, however, exempted private, mini, chartered and school buses from under the purview of the strike, despite the services being under the organised sector.

Hotels, resturants and a number of essential services have also been kept out of the strike.

The strike, called in support of a 15-point charter of demand, covered about one crore people in the state in 60 professional areas, including stone crushing industry, brick kiln, tailoring and garment manufacturing, printing press, handloom and hosiery, saloon, bakery, saw-mills, coir industry, oil-mills, small chemical and plastic industry, motor garages, abbatoirs, retail business, bidi industry and building constructions.

All self-employed labourers, including street and railway hawkers, porters, cobblers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians and goldsmiths, are also covered by the strike.

The strike is in protest against the UPA goverment's failure to provide social security to the unorganised labour sector under its common minimum programme.

UNI