KOCHI: Operation Himmat of the Southern Naval Command in Kochi helped the Cochin Port Trust (CPT) carry out its normal operations on Friday despite the nationwide strike called by trade unions that disrupted the functioning of most establishments in Kochi and its surrounding areas. A statement issued by Southern Naval Command said 57 naval personnel extended civil aid to CPT by supporting technical and operational aid for manning all essential services to ensure seamless operations of the establishment.
The support rendered by the Navy included operating tugs, mooring boats, water barges and manning of all critical sections to ensure that operations of CPT were not adversely affected during the national strike. Op-Himmat is one of the many contingency measures undertaken by the Navy to aid civil authorities during times of internal strife, the statement said. Normal life in the commercial capital of Kerala however was hit as public transport and business establishments remained closed for the day.
Operations of major industrial establishments such as Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd, HMT Ltd, Cochin Shipyard Ltd and many others were hit as most workers stayed away. The functioning of establishments in Infopark, the hub of the IT sector in the city, was also hit. The attendance in most government establishments were below 20 per cent even as the strike passed off peacefully barring a few isolated incidents of violence. “No major incidents of violence were reported in Kochi,” MP Dinesh, City Police Commissioner said.
