Berlin: A one-day strike by workers at 13 German airports, including the Frankfurt and Munich hubs and all the country’s other main destinations, caused the cancelation of most flights Monday.

The 24-hour walkout, which started at midnight, involved public-sector employees at the airports as well as ground and security staff.

At Frankfurt Airport, 1,054 of the day’s 1,116 scheduled takeoffs and landings had been cancelled, German news agency dpa reported, citing airport traffic management.

All of Berlin Airport’s regular departures and arrivals were cancelled, while Hamburg Airport said no departures would be possible. Cologne/Bonn Airport said there was no regular passenger service, and Munich Airport advised travellers to expect a “greatly reduced flight schedule.”

The ver.di service workers union’s strike also targeted the Hamburg, Bremen, Hannover, Berlin, Duesseldorf, Dortmund, Cologne/Bonn, Leipzig/Halle, Stuttgart and Munich airports. At the smaller Weeze and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden airports, only security workers were called out.

The union announced the strike Friday. But at Hamburg Airport, it added a short-notice walkout Sunday to the strike on Monday, arguing that it must ensure the measure was effective.

The so-called “warning strike,” a common tactic in German wage negotiations, relates to two separate pay disputes: negotiations on a new pay and conditions contract for airport security workers and a wider dispute over pay for employees of federal and municipal governments.

The latter already has led to walkouts at Cologne/Bonn, Duesseldorf, Hamburg and Munich airports. Pay talks in that dispute are due to resume Friday, while the next round of talks for airport security workers is expected to start March 26.

AP

Bhograi: Potato traders in neighbouring West Bengal were all set to go on a strike from Tuesday as interstate transport of the essential tuber remains halted. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has reimposed restrictions on potato exports to neighbouring states over the past four days intensifying a potato crisis in Odisha. The shortage has led to skyrocketing prices, with potatoes now selling for Rs 50– Rs 60 per kg in Odisha markets.

In response to questions during an Assembly session, Banerjee doubled down on her decision, stating that until Bengal’s domestic potato supply and prices stabilise, transport to other states will remain suspended. This move has sparked protests from Bengal-based potato traders, who fear significant losses as their cold-storage stocks remain unsold.

Traders in Hooghly’s Tarakeswar district Saturday issued an ultimatum, warning of a strike unless the state government lifted restrictions on inter-state transport and stopped alleged police harassment at state borders. Their demands went unmet, prompting them to commence a strike from Monday midnight. No resolution was reached in a high-level meeting in Kolkata Monday involving officials from the Agricultural department, cold storage owners, and traders. Frustrated, the traders walked out, signalling their dissatisfaction. Lalu Mukherjee, Secretary of the Pragatishil Alu Byabsayi Samiti in West Bengal, confirmed the strike would proceed. The situation is already affecting Odisha, where potato scarcity looms large.

Also Read: Ex-accountant gets 3-yr RI in DA case

Despite assurances from state Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krishna Chandra Patra about incoming potato shipments from Uttar Pradesh, local markets report escalating prices, with rates exceeding Rs 50 per kg.

Adding to the controversy, the Bengal traders have accused their CM of politicising the issue, alleging that her recent trip to Jharkhand for Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s swearing-in ceremony included leveraging the potato export ban as a political tool. Meanwhile, Odisha faces the prospect of severe shortages if border trade remains halted. As the strike starts, both traders and consumers brace for further disruptions, with no immediate resolution in sight.

Chennai: Over a month-long indefinite strike by the employees of Samsung India Electronics Ltd at its plant near here was called off Tuesday and the workers have decided to resume work, the Tamil Nadu government said.

The state government in a statement said the strike at the factory of the Korean electronics giant in Sriperumbudur has come to an end and all the workers would get back to work.

Pressing for various demands, about 1,100 workers of the total 1,750 employees of Samsung India have been on strike since September 9, which includes wage revision, better work conditions, registration of the newly formed Samsung India Workers Union backed by CITU by the labour department.

The decision to call off the strike was taken at the conciliatory meeting which was held at the office of the Department of Labour Welfare here Tuesday in which representatives from the Samsung India and the striking workers took part.

“All the striking workers will call off the agitation and return to work immediately. On returning to work the management will not victimise the workers for having participated in the protest,” an official release said.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: Protesting nurses at state-run hospitals in Odisha called off their four-day-long strike after they got assurance from Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling that their 10-point demand would be ‘fulfilled’.

Odisha Nursing Employees’ Union general secretary Ashwini Kumar Das said nurses joined duties from 11pm Saturday after a discussion with the minister.

“We called off the strike after the government assured us that our demands would soon be fulfilled. The minister said that the government is aware of our demands and has set up an inter-departmental committee to address our issues,” Das told reporters.

The nursing staff working in government hospitals have been demanding the fulfilment of their 10-point charter of demands.

Their demands include the regularisation of services of the nurses appointed on a contractual basis, change of dress code, administrative posts in the nursing service cadre, discontinuation of engaging nursing officers through outsourcing agencies and place-based incentives for nursing officers/employees who are working in tribal-dominated areas.

Mahaling had earlier said that the agitating nursing officials agreed to withdraw their strike.

Though the state government had imposed the Odisha Emergency Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA), 1988 to prevent the strike, the nursing staff had defied the order and continued their cease work for which the health services were severely hit across the state.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: Nursing staff of state-run hospitals and healthcare centres in Odisha announced a two-day agitation from Wednesday over their 10-point demand that includes regularisation of contractual workers and scrapping of outsourcing.

Odisha Nursing Employees’ Association (ONEA) president Suchismita Dash said they have raised their demands before the state government several times but it is not paying any heed to those.

“Therefore, we have decided to launch a protest Wednesday without disturbing emergency medical services,” she said.

Dash said the association will go for cease work on September 27 if the demands are not met.

Director of Nursing Artabandhu Nayak asked the chief of all the state-run healthcare facilities to take action against the nursing staff if they go for cease work under the Odisha Emergency Services (Maintenance) Act, 1988.

“The Odisha government has imposed the ESMA for a period of six months on August 6. So, if the nurses go on a strike now, appropriate action will be taken against them,” he warned.

He said their demands were being discussed at the level of the health minister.

Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling said he has asked the association to meet him Wednesday for a discussion.

PTI 

Kolkata: Clashes broke out between police and protesters at different parts of Kolkata and its neighbouring Howrah on Tuesday, as the agitators tried to make their way through barricades to march towards the West Bengal secretariat ‘Nabanna’.

The protesters were attempting to reach ‘Nabanna’ to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged rape-murder of a doctor at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here earlier this month.

Protesting “brutal” police action against “peaceful” protestors, the BJP called for a general strike on Wednesday. The ruling TMC denounced the decision claiming it was aimed at creating chaos.

Over 200 people were arrested in connection with the rally.

Clashes were reported at MG Road, Hastings Road and areas near the Princep Ghat alongside Santragachi and Howrah Maidan in which some protesters as well as 29 police personnel were injured.

“Today we handled the situation well as we are well prepared. Intelligence inputs helped us, otherwise the situation could have been worse. In the state police area, we have arrested 94 people. We arrested 25 others yesterday,” ADG (Law and Order) told reporters in Nabanna.

According to Kolkata Police sources, 126 members and supporters of Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, one of the organizers of the rally, were arrested. Out of them, 33 were women.

Police used batons, water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters who threw stones at the security forces, and attempted to breach barricades blocking their way to the state secretariat.

“Why were we beaten by police? We did not break any law. We are holding a peaceful rally to demand justice for the deceased doctor. The chief minister should take responsibility and resign,” said a woman protester.

Police said they had to take action after the agitators breached barricades at some locations and “attacked” security personnel.

Fifteen personnel of the Kolkata Police and 14 from the state police force were injured in the clashes.

“We are used to tackling such unruly mobs and our officers have handled the situation well. We have detained several people and the law will take its course,” a senior police officer of Kolkata Police said.

The call for March to Nabanna was separately given by an unregistered students’ body Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj (West Bengal Students Community) and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha (Joint Platform of Struggle), an organisation of state government employees who have been agitating for long demanding their DA to be made at par with their Central government counterparts.

Senior minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said the police have done a commendable job in controlling the crowd, without giving in to the provocations during the Nabanna Abhijan.

“The police foiled their plot to get a body. That is why they called a strike tomorrow to cripple Bengal’s booming economy ahead of the Durga Puja festival,” she said.

“We are forced to give the dawn-to-dusk strike call for a general strike as this autocratic regime is turning a deaf ear to the voices of people, the demand for justice for the deceased doctor sister. Instead of justice, Mamata Banerjee’s police are turning on the peace-loving people of the state, who only wanted a safe and secure environment for women,” BJP state president and union minister Sukanta Majumdar said.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari earlier told reporters: “The police unleashed unthinkable oppression on the peaceful student marchers to Nabanna during the day. If Mamata Banerjee’s police treat peaceful democratic protestors in this way, we will bring the entire state to a halt tomorrow.”

Responding to BJP’s shutdown call, senior Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said, “We have been stating from the very beginning that the Chhatra Samaj-sponsored Nabanna Abhijan had the backing of the BJP.

“This was apparent the way miscreants masquerading as student protestors created large-scale disturbances in the name of peaceful protests today. This was clear by the way the BJP lost no time to give call for a bandh to foment disturbances.”

The West Bengal government said that the administration will ensure that normal life is not affected during the strike that will begin at 6 am.

PTI 

London: Around 1,500 Tata Steel workers based in Port Talbot and Llanwern in Wales will begin “all-out indefinite strike action” from July 8 in protest against the company’s “disastrous plans” to cut 2,800 jobs and close its blast furnaces.

Unite the Union said it is the first time in over 40 years that steelworkers in the UK have taken strike action aimed at severely impacting Tata Steel UK’s operations.

The so-called “escalation” in industrial action comes after members of Unite had already begun working to rule and an overtime ban earlier this week.

“Around 1,500 Tata workers based in Port Talbot and Llanwern will begin all-out indefinite strike action over the company’s plans to cut 2,800 jobs and close its blast furnaces,” Unite the Union said in a press release.

“Tata’s workers are not just fighting for their jobs – they are fighting for the future of their communities and the future of steel in Wales,” said Unite general secretary Sharon Graham.

“The strikes will go on until Tata halts its disastrous plans. Unite is backing Tata’s workers to the hilt in their historic battle to save the Welsh steel industry and give it the bright future it deserves,” she said.

The union claims the Opposition Labour Party has called for the Mumbai-headquartered steel major to halt its plans and wait until after the July 4 general election to engage in talks with a newly elected government.

“Labour has pledged GBP 3 billion for UK steel if elected next month, a commitment secured by Unite. Labour has also made emergency talks with Tata a priority if it wins the election,” the Unite union added.

Tata Steel has said it was “naturally disappointed” with the move and had been calling on the union to suspend industrial action.

It follows Tata Steel’s decision in April to proceed with the closure of two old blast furnaces as part of a GBP 1.25-billion investment to transition to a state-of-the-art Electric Arc Furnace at its Port Talbot steelworks in Wales.

Since the plan was announced earlier this year, the company said it had held seven months of formal and informal discussions with the UK trade unions about the major transformation which preserves 5,000 jobs and secures future steel supplies. It is also expected to create more indirect jobs in engineering and construction and reduce CO2 emissions by 5 million tonnes each year.

“By restructuring our UK operations we will be able to sustain the business as we transition to new electric arc furnace technology. We believe we have a very exciting future ahead, providing the high quality, low-CO2 steels that our customers in the UK and overseas are so desperate for,” a Tata Steel spokesperson noted.

PTI 

Islamabad: The situation remained tense in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Monday as the total strike against high prices of wheat flour and inflated electricity bills and taxes entered its fourth day, with the Pakistan government stepping up efforts to de-escalate the situation following deadly clashes between security forces and protesters.

The disputed region witnessed clashes Saturday between the police and activists of a rights movement, leaving at least one police official dead and injuring over 100 people, mostly policemen. A complete strike has also been observed in the territory since Friday, bringing life to a halt.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to convene a high-level meeting Monday to discuss the ongoing situation as the negotiations between the protesters and the state government ended in a deadlock.

The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has traders at the forefront in most parts of the region, has been seeking the provision of electricity as per hydropower generation cost in the region, subsidised wheat flour and an end to the privileges of the elite class.

A long march led by the JAAC left for Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Monday as the wheel-jam strike entered its fourth day.

The movement announced its march on Muzaffarabad after the talks between the JAAC core committee and Chief Secretary of the region Dawood Bareach ended in a stalemate.

A protest leader from Rawalakot accused the government of resorting to evasive tactics.

Protestors have already staged sit-ins, closing Kohala–Muzaffarabad Road at several locations, the Dawn newspaper reported.

Heavy contingents of police have been posted at roundabouts and sensitive locations, Markets, trade centres and educational institutes remain closed, while transport is suspended, reports said.

The so-called government called in the Rangers after clashes between the police and protesters erupted in Mirpur during demonstrations Saturday.

Expressing deep concerns over the violent clashes between the police and the protesters, Prime Minister Sharif Sunday said that there should be “absolutely no tolerance for taking the law into one’s own hands”.

The premier further said that he had spoken to the so-called Prime Minister of PoK, Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, and also directed all Pakistan Muslim League-N office bearers in the region to talk to the leaders of the action committee.

“I urge all parties to resort to a peaceful course of action for resolution of their demands. Despite the best efforts of detractors, the matter will hopefully be settled soon.”

As part of his efforts to calm down tensions, President Asif Ali Zardari urged all the stakeholders to exercise restraint and resolve the issues through dialogue and mutual consultation.

He stressed that the political parties, state institutions and the people of the region should act responsibly so that hostile elements could not exploit the situation to their benefit.

The president highlighted that the demands of the people in the region should be addressed as per law, adding that he would take up their grievances with Prime Minister Sharif to find a way out of the current situation.

The president regretted the current situation and offered condolences over the unfortunate death of the police officer and prayed for the swift recovery of all those who were injured in recent clashes.

As part of his efforts to calm down tensions, President Zardari urged all the stakeholders to exercise restraint and resolve the issues through dialogue and mutual consultation.

On Saturday, the violent protesters damaged multiple vehicles, including a magistrate’s car on the Poonch-Kotli road. Moreover, markets, trade centres, offices and schools and restaurants remained closed across the region.

Police also launched a crackdown against the protesters after the violence, arresting dozens of individuals in Muzaffarabad.

A day earlier, the government also suspended mobile phone and internet services in different parts of the region.

Keonjhar: A truck owners’ association in the mineral-rich Keonjhar district of Odisha began a 24-hour bandh from 6am Monday in protest against the proposed railway project aimed at transporting minerals, a member of the association said.

The project aims at connecting Odisha Mining Corporation’s Gandhamardan Block-B mines at Suakati to Gohaldihi railway siding.

Numerous local organisations, including the private bus owners’ association, merchants’ associations, auto operators, etc, have extended their support to the bandh, he said.

All business establishments and educational institutions in the district remained shut, leading to disruptions in vehicular movement. Protesters intercepted a passenger train and two goods trains at Keonjhar railway station, sources said.

While the bandh has impacted normal life and mineral transportation in the district, emergency services have been exempted from the bandh’s purview.

Debu Patnaik, the joint secretary of the Keonjhar truck owners’ association, expressed concerns over the potential unemployment among truckers if the project is implemented.

According to Patnaik, the project, if implemented, would transport iron ores via trains, adversely affecting the livelihoods of truckers and around 3-4 lakh people in the district. He urged the government to revoke the project in the best interest of the district’s populace.

Additional SP Santosh Nayak said police forces have been deployed at the station, and discussions have been initiated with the protestors to withdraw the agitation, enabling passengers to proceed to their destinations without hindrance.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Fire Services personnel called off their strike Friday after the state government invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) that restrained them from staging further agitation.

Following ESMA implementation, Chief fireman Akshay Pradhan — who was leading the strike — was given forced retirement as a result of the government’s action. Later, the agitating firemen decided to end their strike.

Pradhan urged that the government should think about the families of 5,000 employees and fulfil their two demands. “Even after ousting me, if the government doesn’t fulfil their demands, the 5,000 families would give a befitting reply,” he added.

The strike began February 19 and the personnel threatened to go on mass leave from February 21. The demands included salaries, allowances, and levels at par with the Odisha Police. They also demanded registration of their association.

PNN 

Bhubaneswar: Protesting veterinary doctors in Odisha Saturday put their strike on hold following negotiations with the government.

After nearly a month-long strike, the agitating veterinary doctors staged a dharna in front of the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services. Later, a meeting took place between the Director and a group of doctors, a source said.

The source informed that the agitation was put on hold following talks with the government. They have reportedly been assured that their demands would be met in a phased manner. Therefore, the association informed that the agitation has been put on hold.

It can be mentioned here that the veterinary doctors had been on mass leave since January 18 demanding cadre restructuring, referral facilities, transformation of the service delivery system, and free treatment of animals in the state.

PNN

Bhubaneswar: In Odisha, particularly in Bhubaneswar, the impact of Bharat bandh called by several trade unions in solidarity with protesting farmers was minimal. Normal movement of vehicles was observed throughout the city and trains were operating as per their schedules.

As part of the bandh, trade unions have planned to organise a rally in Bhubaneswar later in the day. Several trade union leaders emphasised that they intended to peacefully protest in front of central government offices.

However, Angul and Rourkela experienced noticeable disruptions. In Rourkela, bus services were halted, and several plants and industries in Kalunga and Rajgangpur areas remained closed. Additionally, mining operations in Kalta, Bimalagarh and Koida were suspended.

Worth mentioning, employees of state-owned Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and private public transport bus operators in Punjab went on strike Friday, leaving many commuters stranded as over 5,000 buses stayed off the roads.

The impact of the shutdown, which is from 6 am to 4 pm was also seen in neighbouring Haryana as shops and commercial establishments stayed closed. Petroleum dealers in Punjab closed filling stations to back the shutdown call.

The activists of several farmer associations were seen asking traders at several places in AAP-ruled Punjab to keep their shops and business establishments closed to mark the protest. Farmer leaders said they would block key roads and occupy toll plazas during the shutdown.

PNN & Agencies 

Islamabad: Pakistan Wednesday recalled its ambassador to Iran and suspended all planned high-level bilateral visits in the coming days, a day after Tehran launched an unprecedented missile and drone strikes on what it claimed were terrorist bases of a Sunni militant group in the restive Balochistan province.

Two bases of Balochi militant group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan were targeted by missiles Tuesday, Iranian state media reported, a day after Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards attacked targets in Iraq and Syria with missiles.

“Last night’s unprovoked and blatant breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty by Iran is a violation of international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. This illegal act is completely unacceptable and has no justification whatsoever,” the Foreign Office said.

“Pakistan reserves the right to respond to this illegal act. The responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran,” it said, adding that Pakistan has conveyed this message to the Iranian Government.

“We have also informed them that Pakistan has decided to recall its ambassador from Iran and that the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan who is currently visiting Iran may not return for the time being. We have also decided to suspend all high-level visits which were ongoing or were planned between Pakistan and Iran in coming days,” it added.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: The Primary School Teachers’ Association in Odisha has threatened to go on strike again from January 29 if the state government fails to fulfil their three-point charter of demands.

Speaking to media persons Sunday, president of the Association Brahmananda Maharana said following their strike in September, 2023, an interministerial committee had assured of taking steps for fulfilling the demands by December. But the government has failed to take any steps on its assurance of meeting the demands.

“We will wait till January 27 for the government action on our demands. If no step is taken till then, we will again resort to agitation from January 29,” Maharana said. As part of the agitation, hundreds of teachers from across the state will assembly at the Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar and stage a demonstration, he added.

The teachers’ demands include equal pay for equal work, abolition of the new pension scheme and adoption of the old one and counting the contractual teachers as regular staff by paying them six-year’s increment. Maharana said if the government does not initiate any step after our agitation January 29, the teachers will intensify the strike all over the state. It may be noted that the primary school teachers had resorted to mass leave for around 10 days in September last year to press their demands.

PNN

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Motor Transport Workers’ Federation Monday called off its strike against the new hit-and-run law following a discussion with the state government.

The federation launched an indefinite strike protesting against the new provision made in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Monday morning.

However, they withdrew their stir after a few hours following the meeting with Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena.

The federation president Janardan Pati said, “Chief Secretary Pradeep K Jena had called us for a discussion over our demands. During the discussion, Jena informed that Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has stated that the Centre will not implement the new law pertaining to the drivers now and they will take further decisions after consulting the states and different trade unions.”

Keeping in this view, the federation has decided to call off the strike, Pati said.

“We explained the government of India’s stance to them and requested them to call off the strike. They agreed to the suggestion,” Jena added.

The federation’s move came around 24 hours after the Odisha Driver Mahasangha called off its ‘quit steering wheel’ protest Saturday night on the third day of the agitation.

The protest was part of the All-India strike called by the commercial vehicle drivers.

As per the provisions in the BNS, drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing police or any official from the administration can face up to 10 years imprisonment or a fine of Rs7 lakh.

PTI

Bengaluru: Federation of Karnataka Truck Owners Association Saturday decided to go on an indefinite strike from January 17 against the new hit-and-run law.

C Naveen Reddy, President of Federation of Karnataka Truck Owners Association, said that members of the association held a meeting regarding the new law and decided to observe an indefinite strike from January 17.

“A driver’s driving license is confiscated when an accident occurs in a foreign country. Local security personnel will be asked to provide bail in connection with the incident which will cause problems for the truck drivers,” Reddy said during a press conference.

He said that their demand is that this provision in the law must be removed immediately.

“The other demands should be fulfilled as well, including the seizure of trucks in case of accidents and efforts to bring them back by imposing fines on the pretext of unnecessary traffic congestion,” he said.

He said that drivers across the country are worried about the new proposal to impose huge fines including 10 years imprisonment.

He expressed outrage that the government took a unilateral decision without consulting the truck owners or anyone from the transport fraternity.

He said that the move by the Central government will create a situation where drivers will hesitate to continue their profession.

“The stringent laws contained in the proposed act should be relaxed keeping in mind the interests of the truck industry and drivers,” he said.

Vice President Srinivasa Rao, Suresh, Mansoor Ibrahim, General Secretary Narayana Prasad were present in the press conference.

IANS

Guwahati: Commercial vehicles and other modes of public transport stayed off the roads in most parts of Assam Friday, owing to a 48-hour strike called by a joint forum of transporters’ unions to protest against the new penal law on hit-and-run cases.

Office-goers had a difficult time reaching their workplaces as buses, taxis, and app cabs didn’t ply, abiding by the strike call.

“The government only wants to blame drivers for any unfortunate incident even if they may not have committed the crime. Instead of improving road conditions, they are penalising the poor drivers,” said Ramen Das, the convenor of Assam Motor Worker Associations’ Joint Platform.

“The new law on hit-and-run cases is anti-drivers and is against owners of vehicles. We call for a strike of all vehicles from 5 am Friday to 5 am Sunday to press for our demand for withdrawal of the legislation,” Das said.

Talks with officials of the state government Thursday night failed to make any headway, he added.

Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which is set to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), drivers, who cause serious road accidents due to negligent driving and run away without informing police or the administration, can face up to 10 years in prison or a fine of Rs 7 lakh.

The punishment for such offences was two years in the British-era IPC.

The transporters’ platform has also urged private car owners to join the stir, as the law is applicable to everyone irrespective of whether someone is driving a commercial vehicle or a small car, Das said.

Meanwhile, long queues were seen at petrol pumps across the state, with people lining up to fill fuel tanks amid fears of supply crunch.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: In opposition to state government’s LAccMI scheme, All Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association has decided to launch a state-wide, indefinite strike from December 1.

The owners plan to hold a dharna in front of the State Assembly November 22.

Association Secretary Debendra Sahu has warned that the owners will go on strike if the government doesn’t meet their demands.

“Between November 22 and November 30, there will be a protest in front of the Assembly. We will go on a strike on December 1 if the state administration disregards our demands. We have often discussed resolving the problem with the state government, but to no avail,” Sahu said, adding that the planned strike can still be called off If the administration chooses.

The association’s executive body meeting, which took place in Bhawanipatna, took a call on the strike.

At the gathering, bus owners from thirty regions talked about the state-run LAccMI bus issue. The government bus service from block headquarters to the district headquarters has been met with opposition from private bus operators who earlier announced a strike during Dussehra but relented after negotiations with the state government.

PNN

Bhubaneswar: In a major relief to thousands of commuters, Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association Friday night decided to put on hold its statewide bus strike till October 31 because of Durga Puja festivities.

The strike, which began at 6am, came to an end at 9pm. Long-distance night buses have already started plying after the association announced its decision.

“The association held a discussion with Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu and senior officials during the day. The state government has assured us to look into our demands. Our next meeting with the state government is scheduled on October 26. Buses will start plying across the state from tonight,” association secretary Debendra Sahu told reporters.

Earlier in the day, nearly 14,000 buses remained off the roads as the association launched its indefinite strike to protest against the state government’s Location Accessible Multi-modal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme.

The bus owners had earlier demanded that LAccMI buses should operate between the gram panchayat and block headquarters and not to district headquarters where private buses ply.

The association pointed out that they were forced to go for a strike after the LAccMI buses operated till district headquarters in Malkangiri district instead of block headquarters.

The association also pointed out that cheap ticket rates of LAccMi buses will affect private buses.

Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers travelling to their hometowns for Durga Puja had a tough time at different bus stands since early morning.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu said the government will hold a detailed discussion with the association on October 26.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had launched the affordable bus service earlier this month. The service aims to connect all the gram panchayats with the district headquarters and the state capital.

Odisha’s road communication is heavily dependent on private buses, with around 14,000 private buses plying against only 2,000 government buses, transport department sources said.

PTI 

Bhubaneswar: All Odisha Bus Owners’ Association has called for an indefinite strike across the state from October 10 protesting the government’s move to launch Location-Accessible Multimodal Initiative (LAccMI) to provide affordable transportation for people from gram panchayat level to the capital city.

Under the LACCMI scheme, about 1,000 buses would be deployed to connect all gram panchayats, block headquarters, district headquarters, major cities and economic hubs across the state.

The All Odisha Bus Owners’ Association called a ‘Chaka Bandh’ (ceasework) agitation from October 2 in the undivided Koraput district to protest the implementation of the LAccMI in Malkangiri district. The undivided Koraput comprise four districts – Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Malkangiri.

Association general secretary Debendra Sahu said no buses will operate in undivided Koraput district for 24 hours on October 2 and later the cease work agitation to be extended across Odisha. “We will observe the indefinite strike from October 10 if our demands are not fulfilled,” Sahu told reporters here.

Odisha’s public transportation is mostly dependent on private buses. The bus association alleged that their business will be severely hit as passenger buses under the LAccMI initiative will operate at the same time with private buses.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the general secretary of the association, the Transport Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the State Transport Authority (STA) said, “As discussed in the meeting on 10.08.2023, it has been decided that all RTOS will hold meetings with the concerned bus associations in their jurisdiction and in case of clash of timings of buses of private operators with LAccMI bus, STA resolutions regarding grant of permit will be followed”.

PTI