It’s just another day in Midnapore

28 February 2012

biswabrata goswami
MIDNAPORE, 28 FEB: The nationwide general strike called by 11 trade unions evoked a lukewarm response in both East and West Midnapore districts today. The bandh failed to make any impact on industries in Haldia in East Midnapore and Kharagpur in West Midnapore. There was no production in Kolaghat Thermal Power Plant (KTPP). It was a normal day too in Haldia port where most of the employees and labourers resumed their duties. Loading and unloading work in the Haldia Dock Complex continued as usual, a senior port officer said.
The bandh failed to generate response in the CPI-M controlled Haldia municipal areas. The Haldia municipality remained open and attendance of employees was recorded at 85 per cent, which was unusual compared to the low figures during shutdowns in the past.
District magistrate of East Midnapore Parvez Ahmed Siddiqui said: “The bandh passed off peacefully and six persons were arrested from different areas on charges of creating disturbance. Attendance in the district collectorate office was 72 per cent while all government offices remained open and most of the employees attended office.”
Mr Subhendu Adhikari, a Trinamul Congress MP for Tamluk, said: “The bandh failed to make any impact across the district, including the Haldia industrial belt. In the past, the CPI-M used muscle power to make the bandh a success, but this time, labourers spontaneously joined work at all industries”.
In West Midnapore, 15 persons were injured in two separate incidents and six persons of both the CPI-M and Trinamul Congress camps have been arrested.
Four CPI-M and two Trinamul Congress workers were injured when the activists of both parties got involved in a clash when the Trinamul Congress workers allegedly asked the headmaster to open his school at Santrapur in Keshiary in West Midnapore. All the victims were admitted to Midnapore Medical College and Hospital in serious conditions.
Superintendent of police of West Midnapore Gourav Sharma said two persons of both the parties have been arrested in connection with the incident.
In another incident at Nimtala in Dashpur of West Midnapore, nine persons of both the CPI-M and Trinamul Congress were injured in a clash when the two parties took out rallies. The CPI-M workers attacked the Trinamul activists and damaged their eight motorcycles. Later, the Trinamul workers ransacked eight houses of CPI-M workers. Police intervened and brought the situation under control after arresting four persons belonging to both the parties.