Collectorate, Civil Station functioning hit

Staff Reporter

UDF is clinging to power, says Achuthanandan

KOCHI: The functioning of the Collectorate and Civil Station at Kakkanad was totally disrupted on Wednesday as CPI(M) workers held a dawn-to-dusk blockade of the Collectorate as part of a campaign against "the anti-people policies" of the UDF Government.

The blockade was inaugurated by Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan in front of the Thrikkakara Panchayat Community Hall at Kakkanad where the Collectorate functions temporarily.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the UDF Government was clinging to power even though it had lost the people's mandate to continue in power. The policies of the Government had resulted in all the major segments, including the traditional industries, getting destroyed, affecting the livelihoods of thousands of people, he alleged.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the Government was not adopting any measures to save the traditional industrial segments, including coir, cashew nut and bamboo, which were reeling under crisis.

He alleged that the Government was deceiving people in the education sector in collaboration with the managements of the self-financing educational institutions. The self-financing educational sector was promoted here with the argument that it would help the students from Kerala who had to go to other States for higher education, but these colleges were charging exorbitant fees compared to the Government colleges, he said.

Later, answering a question, Mr. Achuthanandan reiterated that the CPI(M) was ready to face any inquiry regarding the SNC Lavalin issue.

He said that the party was open towards presenting the files related to the issue in the Assembly.

The CPI(M) workers blocked the Panchayat Community Hall as well as the southeastern, southern-western, western and northern entrances of the Civil Station.

The volunteers had started marching to Kakkanad in small groups from Tuesday evening, many of them camping for the night near the Collectorate premises. They had started the blockade from 6 a.m., preventing any of the Collectorate employees from getting inside early.

CPI(M) workers from Thripunithura, Aluva and Kunnathunadu gathered in front of the community hall, while the volunteers from Perumbavoor, Muvattupuzha, Piravam and Kothamangalam blocked the southern-eastern entrance of the Civil Station.

The workers from North Paravur, Njarakkal, Vadakkekara and Angamaly blocked the northern entrance of the Civil Station, while the western entrance was picketed by workers from Ernakulam and Mattancherry. CPI(M) workers from Palluruthy blocked the southwestern gate.

However, the traffic in Seaport- Airport Road and the road to Infopark was not obstructed so as not to cause troubles for the IT Fair.

District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish had to stay at his Camp Office on Wednesday due to the blockade.

Leaders including M.M. Lawrence, Sarojini Balanandan, K. Chandran Pillai, K.M. Sudhakaran, P.Rajeev and K. Thulasi addressed the party workers at the stages arranged near all the entrances to the Civil Station.

Heavy police force, led by City Police Commissioner P. Vijayan was deployed at Kakkanad in view of the blockade. However, no untoward incident happened during the blockade.
(The Hindu - 02/02/06, Thursday)