Strike hits normal life in Haryana, govt bus services resume partially
Chandigarh: Nearly two lakh employees of Haryana Government and semi-government bodies have begun their three-day strike, crippling essential services like power and water, hospitals, and educational institutions, even as the state brokered a deal to bring some buses back on road.
Defying prohibitory orders and warning of disciplinary action, nearly two lakh employees of the state government, boards and corporations, under the banner of Haryana Sarv Karamchari Sangh (HSKS), began their 72-hour strike midnight last night, demanding abolishment of contractual system and outsourcing of work.
Late in the night, senior state minister Randeep Singh Surjewala, however, managed to convince a section of striking Haryana Roadways employees, who had begun the strike yesterday morning, to resume work assuring them to fulfil their demands, including regularisation of over 8,000 contract employees.
HSKS general secretary Subash Lamba claimed the strike was successful with “over 85 per cent of the employees” joining the protest. He said around 200 employees of various departments had been arrested by police for violating prohibitory orders imposed in most parts of the state.
“We are open to talks with the state government, but it is not prepared to broker peace as it had failed to keep its promises made to employees from time to time,” he said, adding that the union would meet tomorrow to discuss the split among Roadways workers.
Taking a tough stand against the strike, the government has implemented “No Work, No Pay” rule for the employees joining the strike, which has hit the supply of essential services in the state, Chief Secretary S C Choudhary said.
“The rule of ‘No Work, No Pay' will be strictly followed as the strike is causing inconvenience to the people,”he said.
The authorities have made adequate arrangements to prevent any untoward incident during the strike, officials said, adding that police personnel in sufficient numbers have been deployed at sensitive places to maintain law and order.
