RTC, Schools To Join T Strike

The Telangana region is heading for a major shutdown from Monday, with several employees' unions announcing their decision to join the 'Sakala Janula Samme' or the general strike.

Ignoring the invoking of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) by the state government, the employees of the State Road Transport Corporation have decided to go strike from Sunday midnight.

Almost 45% of the RTC fleet will be off the road in 10 districts of Telangana region, from Monday.

Of 22,000 RTC buses, nearly 10,000 ply in the Telangana region. They carry about 1.4 crore commuters daily.

RTC Employees' JAC chairman Anandam told reporters on Sunday that the employees were not afraid of ESMA, and they would withdraw the strike only after the Centre announces its decision on the formation of Telangana.

Meanwhile, in view of the strike, the state government has issued special permits for the operation of private vehicles.

Meanwhile, private schools in the Telangana region have also announced a shut-down for a week, starting from Monday. Almost all private schools in the region will remain closed from 19 September to 24 September.

The Private Engineering College Management Association has also decided to shut down institutions on Monday and Tuesday.

Deputy Collectors in the Telangana region will join the general strike from 23 September.

Further, the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee will organise a 'National Highways Roko' agitation on Monday. According to JAC chairman Prof. Kodandaram, Telangana activists will close the Adilabad-Alampur and Kodad-Zaheerabad highways.

Employees of the electricity department are also gearing up to join the strike.

The employees' unions have called for a crucial meeting on Tuesday to decide the future course of action. The meeting will be attended by TP-JAC chairman Kodandaram and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao. GHMC employees, too, are expected to join the general strike from 20 September.

Meanwhile, the employees of Singareni Collieries have refused to withdraw their participation from the ongoing general strike. While the production of coal has come a halt in the SCCL's 32 mines spread across 4 districts, production of thermal energy is also set for a drastic fall from Monday, as the reserves in four thermal stations are about to get exhausted.

Other employee unions in the Telangana region, including those of government lecturers, have already joined the general strike. (INN)