Bandh call against privatisation evokes partial response in Punjab

Chandigarh, Feb 19 (UNI) Barring stray incidents of road blockades, the bandh call given against the Punjab Government's privatisation move evoked partial response in the state today.

The bandh call, given by Anti-privatisation Coordination Committee of 17 farmers, labourers and workers organisations against the privatization of core sectors in the state, passed off peacefully, official sources said.

All commercials and business establishments and educational institutions remained open today. However, activists of various farmers and workers unions staged dharnas at various places and blocked traffic.

Activists blocked the vehicular traffic for two hours on the Jalandhar-Amritsar National Highway at Dhilwan, a report from Kapurthala said.They staged a dharna on the road.

However,the bandh failed to evoke any response in Kapurthala city as all the commercial establishments were open throughout the day.

The activists broke glass panes of some buses in Rasulpur area of Tarn Taran and blocked Amritsar-Ferozepur highway. Processions were taken out in Verka area of Amritsar.

The bandh evoked little response in Rupnagar. However, activitsts of various farmers, workers and employees unions staged a dharna on the Rupnagar-Nawanshahr road near Rupnagar head works and blocked traffic for half an hour. Later on they sat on dharna in front of the main gate of the District Administrative Complex and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.

However, bandh was partially observed in some parts of Jalandhar district, including Nakodar, Shahkot, Nurmahal and Mehatpur.

Activists belonging to various left organistions including Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, affiliated to CPI(ML), blocked the GT Road at Kartarpur, a report from Jalandhar said. At village Ugri, near Nakodar the vehicular traffic was blocked for nearly two hours, while at Nurmahal, the workers blocked the road for nearly half-an-hour.

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