THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The second day of the nationwide general strike called by the joint council of various central trade unions affected normal life though the attendance of government employees showed a marginal increase owing to the dies-non declared by the state government following the High Court order declaring the strike by public servants as illegal.
As many as 176 out of 4828 employees turned up for work at the government secretariat on Tuesday. On the first day of the strike, the number of attendees was just 32.
Though the government had issued order making it clear that unauthorized leave will be treated as dies-non to prevent the government employees from engaging in the strike, it did not have desired effect.
The order had also said apart from pressing reasons such as illness, examination and maternity, the employees will not be granted leave of any kind. However, the service unions took a stand that they will go ahead with the strike.
The collectorates also saw a low turnout of the employees. Many of them were staff under probation or contract workers and most of them returned after marking their attendance, the sources said.
Vehicular movement continued to get affected though more private vehicles hit the roads on the final day of the strike compared to Monday. In Thiruvananthapuram, the protestors blocked the Lulu mall employees at the gate. A few shops that opened were forcefully closed down in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
KSRTC buses were forced to suspend their journey midway in Kollam and Chalakudy. In Kozhikode SM Street, a handful of shops were opened.