Telangana: Bus employees to continue strike

HYDERABAD: Employees of state-owned Road Transport Corp (RTC) buses Sunday decided to continue their indefinite strike for a separate Telangana state, as the buses remained off the roads for the 21st day.The Joint Action Committee of various unions met here to review the situation and resolved to continue the strike till the central government pledged to carve out Telangana.The JAC leaders warned the government of serious consequences if tried to split the employees. The JAC also demanded the government to pay salaries and festival advance to all the striking employees.Over 10,000 RTC buses remained off the roads in Hyderabad and nine other districts of Telanagana for the 21st day as 60,000 drivers and other employees continued the strike.According to RTC officials, the strike is causing a daily loss of Rs.7 crore to the corporation.The authorities are operating 600 buses in Hyderabad and some other parts of Telangana with the help of contract and private workers.In the state-owned Singareni Collieries Co Ltd (SCCL), the employees continued the strike for 27th day.The coal production in 50 mines spread over four districts remains affected.The strike by coal workers has badly affected power generation in thermal power stations, triggering electricity crisis in the state.JAC convenor M. Kodandaram said: "The movement has entered a decisive phase. Let us all be united to carry it forward."Kodandaram urged all government employees, teachers, RTC and Singareni workers to continue the strike despite the hardships they may be facing.The administration in the region remains paralysed since Sep 13 when the government employees went on the strike.Striking employees and various sections of people continued the protests in districts by taking out rallies, forming human chains, organizing cultural programmes and laying siege to houses of public representatives demanding their resignations in support of a separate state.The JAC has called for a maha dharna by the employees in Hyderabad Sep 11. It has also called for a three-day rail blockade Sep 12-14.