Bharat Bandh call gets mixed response in city

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 16

Farmers’ call for Grameen Bharat Bandh today got a mixed response in the city as markets, malls, factories, offices, etc, remained open and nobody tried to get these establishments closed. There was normal supply of milk, vegetables and other essentials. However, bus services were affected in the city and tar

Amarvir Singh, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association, here, said there was normal supply of vegetables and fruits in the main mandi.

Almost all markets, including at Sarabha Nagar, BRS Nagar, Chaura Bazaar, AC Market and Ghumar Mandi remained opened throughout the day, though it was being expected that everything would be closed and many residents had got essential items stocked to avoid any problem.

“Footfall of visitors was low,” said Umesh Kumar, a shopkeeper at Ghumar Mandi.

Factory units in Industrial Area, Focal Point, Janakpuri, Sunder Nagar and Janta Nagar remained opened. At the same time, Badish Jindal, president, AITF, said factories were running normally but stocks were not sent to any location. “We are not sending or getting any material from outside Ludhiana to avoid any harassment on roads,”Jindal said.

Students taking board exams face inconvenience

As the Education Department had yesterday asked students and their parents to reach respective centres one hour before the exams, taking no chance, the students reached well on time but they said there was anxiety among them. “We left home early and did not get enough time for the last-minute revision. Hence, we have done revision outside centres,” said a Class X student who had come to take science exam conducted by the PSEB today.

Meanwhile, Daljit Singh Samrala from the Democratic Teachers Union said many teachers and students who did not have own conveyance had to suffer in the absence of bus services, both government and private. “Many teachers reached schools late. The government should had postponed today’s exam to avoid inconvenience to students and others,” he said.

Mandi Ahmedgarh: The administration remained on toes taking proactive measures to prevent any untoward incident during the Gramin Bharat Bandh, call for which was given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and trade unions for getting their demands accepted from the Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Though road blockades and protest marches at various places were peaceful, police personnel had to intervene where groups of protesters tried to force owners of shops to down shutters of their establishments forcibly.

The police had to divert traffic on alternative routes as the protesters had organised dharnas on almost all major crossings on Ludhiana-Malerkotla, Ludhiana-Bathinda, Raikot-Ludhiana, Ludhiana-Ferozepur highways.

Vehicular traffic remained suspended for hours at Hari Singh Nalwa Chowk, Raikot, Sahnewal Chowk, Dehlon and Jodhan on Raikot Ludhiana Road. However the bandh passed off peacefully and no untoward incident was reported from the region.

Meanwhile, commuters who had to travel long distances were worst hit. Many preferred to cancel their plans.

However, leaders of various outfits holding dharnas in the region claimed that ambulances and vehicles carrying patients were allowed to pass through almost all blockades. — OC

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