Harthal’s own Country

Thiruvananthapuram: Yet another hartal has gone by peacefully but only after bringing the state to a complete halt for 12 hours and throwing up several disturbing questions on the increasing frequency of such agitations.

It was the same story; deserted bus stations, shut shops and empty roads. Appointments with doctors got cancelled, interviews postponed, marriages though exempted were put off at the last moment. 

And the worst hit as usual, were the people who survive on paltry daily wages; small time vendors, construction workers, agricultural workers, fisherfolk, petty shopkeepers, sales workers at shops and domestic workers.

Like always, this time too there were claims and counter claims about the success of the hartal. Those in power saw only the harmful effects of hartal while for the Opposition it was a “historic people’s victory”.

Planning Board member G.Vijayaraghavan said: “It’s time political parties realized the kind of damage hartals are causing to the state’s economy. Such agitations are also cutting down job opportunities for the youth .’’ Whom are we agitating against? Are we agitating against the people of the State or against the Ministry of Environment and Forests? he asked.

Experts say on a hartal day the industry loses economic activities worth Rs 600 to Rs 800 cr and the additional police deployment involves a whopping amount. At the end of the day it’s the common man who has to pay the price. According to estimates, Kerala has eight state-wide hartals, 30 district level and 200 taluk and panchayat level hartals annually. Add up the losses and the figures will scare the wits out of you.

It goes without saying that public sector undertakings especially those running in losses, are the worst affected. For instance, a hartal means operational loss of Rs 3 cr for the KSRTC which is incurring losses worth Rs 50 cr every month. And in case of violence, a shattered windshield could cost Rs 14,000.

Apart from PSUs, the tourism industry which is one of the biggest contributors to the state exchequer is also badly hit. Jose Dominic, managing director, CGH Group who arrived from Delhi and was on his way home from the airport, said:  “Let me step into the shoes of a foreign tourist who has booked for a week-long holiday package in Kerala. Imagine, on landing in Delhi airport, he comes to know that because of the hartal he would not be able to enjoy his holidays.’’

In fact tourists and travel agents in Delhi have started diverting people to Goa and other destinations, terming Kerala as a “problem” state, he added. “Hartals are undoubtedly causing enormous damage to the state’s economy and it’s high time we found a solution to the problem,’’ he said.

There are people who defend the right to agitate. But even those who support agitations say the frequency of hartals in the state has increased alarmingly. One of the fundamental principles of democracy is the right to protest, but many feel such agitations become problematic when innocent people end up becoming victims.

Clearly, political parties will have to put their heads together to strike a fine balance between causing harm to the state’s economic activities and the right to agitate.

Next: ‘Say No to Hartal’ campaign gains momentum in Kochi

‘Say No to Hartal’ campaign gains momentum in Kochi

Kochi: The silent and unique anti-hartal campaign promoted by a group of entrepreneurs and youngsters is becoming popular in the city.

On Monday, during the LDF hartal, volunteers of the campaign were on duty at railway stations and bus stands to help stranded passengers. They also conducted a vehicle rally from Kadavanthra to the South railway station.

The group, with no political affiliations, is becoming popular and an increasing number of volunteers are joining the initiative. The mission of this campaign is to instill courage and a sense of social responsibility among citizens to stand up to this social menace.

“More than 10 volunteers, including car and two-wheeler owners from across different walks of life were on duty to offer travel assistance and to spread the message of the anti-hartal campaign. We helped patients reach hospitals and foreign tourists their hotels,” said Raju P.Nair, general convener of the campaign committee, who is also a Youth Congress activist.

Building on the growing resentment among the general public to the frequent hartals, the campaign is supported by opinion makers and even political leaders. Hibi Eden, MLA , has extended support to the initiative. Nearly 262 volunteers have already registered on the group’s website www.saynotoharthal .com, expressing their interest to be volunteers on hartal days.

Apart from the ‘Say No to Hartal’ volunteers, members of ‘Bullethood’, a city-based bikers’ group also offered travel assistance to stranded passengers. Commuters including foreign travellers used the two-wheelers of Bullethood to reach their destinations.

Next: Netizens hail HC for criticising hartal

Netizens hail HC for criticising hartal

Kochi: The High Court's criticism of the hartal declared by the Left parties evoked mixed response from the netizens. “Hope the Left Front will not announce a hartal against the High Court remarks,”  Shafeeq Aviyoor T.K. mocked the Left parties. Mathew Anu opined that the High Court had on many occasions criticised hartals.

The CPM defied the orders and so the observation is correct. Vijay Babu called the hartal  vote bank politics. According to Sharon Syamlal,  the hartal was held for the exclusive benefit of the quarry, sand, land and forest mafia. Aneesh George claimed that the hartal was announced to protest against the anti-people policies of the government.

Another user with the Twitter handle asks:   “Will the archaic way of protesting by hartal ever end in Kerala? Why choke someone else's freedom because you wanna protest?” Jayasankar:  “I read CPM's official statement. Nothing that justifies hartal. Nor was there anything in the notification that calls for concern.”

Next: Expert panel to visit 123 designated villages

Expert panel to visit 123 designated villages

Kochi: Chief Minister  Oommen Chandy on Monday allayed the fears regarding the Kasturirangan report saying no one will  be evicted from the high ranges and that there would not be problems for farming or any other livelihood activities in the area.

At a press conference here, Chandy said the expert committee constituted to study the report would visit the 123 designated villages from December 26 to 29 and from January 3 to 7. In view of the apprehensions of the people, the government had set up helpline numbers  0471-2741134  (available during office hours)  and  9447271034 (24 hours).

Chandy said while 633 villages were termed as ecologically fragile lands (EFL) in the Gadgil report, the number of villages was brought down to 123 in the Kasturirangan report.  Since remote sensing technology was used for the survey, plantation areas were categorised as forest land as it could not differentiate the two.  “We have conveyed this to the MoEF and they have responded positively,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the forest cover in the state was 29.1 per cent which is more than the national average of 19.5 per cent. Kerala, being so thickly populated, has protected its forest wealth and it is  also responsible for protecting the interest of the people who helped preserve the forest cover.

He accused the CPM of inciting trouble in the name of Kasturirangan report.  “I am not holding the farmers responsible for the agitation. Their concerns and fears are genuine. But some responsible political and social leaders  are  instigating violence and they should think whether this is right or wrong,” he said.