Normal life largely unaffected by hartal

Normal life in the district remained largely unaffected as the dawn-to-dusk hartal called by a combine of around 30 Dalit organisations in the State on Monday passed off peacefully, except for some isolated incidents of traffic blockades.

The hartal was observed in protest against the alleged attempt by the authorities to dilute the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and police action against Dalit agitators in north India earlier this month.

Public transport was only partially affected, and most shops and establishments remained open. Meanwhile, the police kept Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha leader M. Geethanandan under preventive custody.

The police maintained high vigil to ensure law and order and to avert untoward incidents. The protesters put up road blockades at Panangad, Madavana, and South Veliyathamparambil, and their removal by the police resulted in minor arguments with protesters. Minor tension prevailed at Madavana after the police arrested nearly 20 hartal supporters who took out a march and tried to stop bus services.

Offices at the civil station functioned as usual and logged at least half the strength. Infopark also functioned normally.

KSRTC conducted services but marginally reduced the usual daily schedules anticipating a fall in the number of passengers. For instance, 82 services were operated from the Ernakulam depot as against the usual 106. The corporation authorities said that staff strength was normal. A bus from Ernakulam depot was stopped at Kothamangalam.

The Aluva depot operated only half the normal services. The depot suspended services in the Thrissur direction till 6 p.m. after some buses were stopped at Paravur and Chalakkudy earlier in the day. The KSRTC operated additional services to Kothamangalam, Ernakulam, and Angamaly from its Perumbavoor depot.

Though private buses were out in full strength in the morning, operators cut short the number of services by afternoon after hartal supporters blocked them at several places. While private buses operated as usual in city centres, absence of services affected normal life at Vypeen, Paravur, and Madavana.

Bus operators association attributed the partial suspension of services to lack of response from the police to their communication expressing willingness to conduct services four days ahead of the hartal.