State-wide hartal brings Kerala to grinding halt

File photo: Deserted road beside the beach in Kozhikode in Kerala. (Source: Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)

A dawn-to-dusk hartal called by various organizations in farm, fishing and transport sectors began in Kerala on Wednesday morning. This is the second state-wide hartal in Kerala within a month.

READ: Silently, Kerala is celebrating another Hartal

The Pro-Left farmers’ action council called for the hartal in hilly regions in protest against the fall in the price of natural rubber.

Kerala Fisheries Co-ordination Committee is behind the shut down in the coast area, demanding that the recommendations of Dr Meena Kumari Commission should not be implemented as it would hit the livelihood of local fishermen.

The fisheries committee is against the commission’s recommendation to allow entry for large deep-sea fishing vessels into the territory of local fishermen.

The motor employees’ co-ordination committee has also joined the hartal in protest against the steep hike in the third party insurance premium.

Initial reports said the hartal was observed across Kerala and normal life has been hit. Shops and other business establishments remained closed and vehicles, except two-wheelers, stayed away from the roads. Universities have postponed the examinations due to the hartal.

Source:: Indian Express