Strike hits bus services in Punjab, Haryana

CHANDIGARH - Public buses went off the roads in many parts of Punjab and Haryana Tuesday in response to the nationwide strike called by trade unions against price rise and privatisation.

The Haryana bus drivers’ union backed the strike call.

“We are imparting full support in this nation-wide strike. Over 90 percent of our buses are not plying on roads,” said a representative of the Haryana bus drivers’ union.

Chandigarh transport director M.L. Sharma said: “We have suspended many inter-state route buses. Bus service within the city is also affected and nearly 50 percent buses are off the road.”

Government-owned buses were not running in Bathinda, Ludhiana and Moga districts, causing inconvenience to commuters. Representatives of various unions of bus drivers and conductors also staged a major protest inside the Bathinda bus terminus.

Though there was no major impact on banking services in Chandigarh, a majority of the employees of public sector banks in Punjab and Haryana joined the strike.

The trade unions that called the strike are Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), the Left-affiliated All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) and the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS).

Members of the Chandigarh electricity employees union had also given a call for observing the strike Tuesday but the administration threatened them with invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) over the defaulters.

“We have always been sympathetic to the genuine demands of the electricity employees and there is no need for any strike by them. Principle of ‘no work no pay’ shall be strictly enforced,” a Chandigarh administration official said.

“The defaulting employees will also be liable for other disciplinary actions under ESMA,” he added.