from Special Correspondent
for Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (GA)

Panaji, Aug 20: Life remained semi-paralyzed in the State as the trade unions struck the work and blocked state's main Panaji-Margao highway this morning.

Most of the state government-run Kadamba transport corporation limited (KTCL) buses remained off the road, ferry service on inland waterways were anchored at the wharfs and industrial estates remained almost 80 per cent closed.

The trade union activists tried to block Margao-Panaji highway at Verna industrial estate this morning but their attempt was foiled by the police. "The traffic had stopped for a while but we promptly cleared it," police official stated.

Anticipating trouble on the highways, the police had mounted presence along the major roads as the private buses continued plying on their regular schedule. 

Margao-Panaji, Panaji-Vasco and Margao-Vasco triangular route remained affected for most of the time, as these are nationalized routes exclusively catered by the KTC buses.

"We had asked the staff not to bunk the duties. The services were normal in the morning as far as I know," Sanjay Goel, managing director, KTCL, stated.

Though KTCL buses were plying in the morning, by afternoon, majority of them were off the road.

Highly places sources stated that the transport department had asked the state government to invoke essential services management act (ESMA) in the state to stop the KTCL buses from getting off the road.

"The state government did not react at all," officials added.

The islanders from Diwar and Chorao island remained cut off from the mainland as the River Navigation department staff refused to ply the ferry boat services. Without the bridges, these islanders are entirely dependent on the ferry boat services to reach the mainland.

The ferry service to Diwar island was resumed after port minister Francisco Pacheco intervened and commissioned private crew to ply the ferries. The island has 10,000 people who were deprived of basic amenities since morning.

"The islanders would have been in trouble, if they had remained stranded there… Our attempts are on to ensure that other ferry services are also resumed," Pacheco stated.

State airport, however, remained unaffected with the strike. "We are not having any problem as hardly any ground staff has struck the work. The flights are on time," airport director D Paul Manickam stated.