Moodubelle: Partial impact of the All-India Strike in the village as buses keep off the road

By Eugene Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 28 February 2012:  The 24-hour country-wide strike called by major trade unions supported by various political parties on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 to protest "anti-labour" policies of the government, rising prices and various other demands including pension for all classes of workers, ending of employment on contract, outsourcing, and enhancement of minimum pension evoked a mixed response with the banking and transport sector hit in some parts of the country. 

 

However, in the cities of Mangalore and Udupi and surrounding regions there was quite encouraging response to the strike as the roads and streets were practically empty with thin traffic. The main mode of public transport, the private buses have not ventured on the roads for the fear of being damaged  by the striking workers. All the schools and colleges have remained closed and the exams of the First Year PUC scheduled on February 28, 2012 have been postponed. 

 

The effect of the ‘All-India’ strike was felt in Moodubelle and surrounding regions due to the absence of private city and service buses which are the chief means of transport between Belle and Udupi, Karkala and Manchakal and intermediary places and villages.  Buses were seen parked at the petrol pump and by the roadside. Except for the absence of buses, life seemed to be normal in Moodubelle.

When this reporter visited the township in the morning at about 9.30 am, the shops were open as usual and rickshaws were lined up in the stand. Private vehicles both two and four wheelers were seen moving freely on the main road of Modubelle.

 

Being Tuesday and weekly market day, fruit and vegetable vendors had just arrived and fisherwomen were seen alighting from  the fish van and unloading the fish. However, the lack of bus service affected the shop keepers as well as the stall-keepers on the Santekatte and the fisher women  as people who otherwise would make it a point to visit the weekly market and make purchases for the week could not do so as walking all the way to the market and back home in the summer heat discourage those who have been heavily dependent on the public transport. Moreover, hiring a rickshaw for the usual marketing would be uneconomical. Hence, most of the people gave a slip to the weekly market. As such by 1 pm, the market  and the main road wore an empty look.

 

Though there are no labour unions  in Belle and the people in general are oblivious of the demands of the various organizations supporting the All-India Strike, passively they became the unwilling supporters of the strike as the buses were off the road.  Thus, the All-India Strike had partial impact on the normal life in the village.