General strikes affect normal lives
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 17 2018:
The 24 hours general strike called by Maoist Communist Party and People's War Group from yesterday midnight till midnight today, greatly affected normal lives in the State.
Except the incident of a scooter being burned at Waithou Chingol in the wee hours of today, there is no other report of any unwanted incident occurring due to the general strike.
It may be recalled that the Home Department had earlier issued an order directing all the Government Departments to remain open during the bandh and for all the employees to attend office as usual.
The Home Department had even directed transport service, shops and other business establishments, as well as schools and colleges, to remain open despite the bandh.
Despite the stern order from the State Government, the attendance at Government offices located in far off places remained low (even though the attendance at the offices at Imphal was somewhat normal).
Inter State and inter district transport service stayed off from the roads and majority of the shops remained closed throughout the day.
Khwairamband Keithel also bore an almost deserted look and majority of the roads in Imphal remained empty.
Many oil pumps remained closed today.
Many of the banks, including SBI, remained closed as well.
It may be mentioned that as per the order issued by the Special Secretary (Home) Kh Raghumani Singh on December 15, the Administrative Secretaries and the Heads of Departments were instructed to take up necessary actions to ensure attendance of employees, to submit the attendance report to the Administrative Department concerned and to take up necessary disciplinary proceedings against erring employees.
On the other hand, in some Government offices, many employees were seen taking group photos standing in front of the office claiming that the Principal Secretary directed them to do so .