Noncooperation stir gains momentum, rasta rokos add to chaos

The Noncooperation Agitation call, given by the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee, continued to attract the attention of government employees for the third straight day on Saturday with staff of various departments signing the attendance register and shying away from work.

Apart from the government employees, , the non-cooperation agitation picked up momentum with the JAC activists staging dharnas and obstructing traffic through their ‘rasta rokos’ at many places across the region.

TPJAC convenor Kodandaram, along with about 150 of his activists, was arrested at the RTC Crossroads after they blockaded the road.

Similarly, a road blockade in LB Nagar disrupted the flow of traffic, leaving commuters fuming under the sun.  Reports from other parts of the city, including Somajiguda, Paradise, Uppal, Khairtabad and Ameerpet Crossroads in the city are also coming in.

From the districts, reports of the Noncooperation Agitation gathering widespread support began to reach here.

The ticketeless travellers had a field day with conductors of the APSRTC buses being told to raise ‘Jai Telangana’ slogans when they asked the passengers to buy tickets.

The work in government offices across the district also suffered due to the stir call, leaving many people rubbing their hands in exasperation.

Employees of the Hyderabad Metropolitan and Sewerage Board justified their participation in the stir by saying that the government may lose revenue due to their noncooperation, but the agitation was indeed having an effect.

Talking to media persons, one of the HMWSSB employees, P Ramesh said that they would not get back to work till their demands are not met. The employees said that they would not resume work till a Bill on separate Telangana is tabled in the Budget Session of Parliament.

“We will stay away from our desks till the formation of the state is announced. The agitation is having an effect and the government is under pressure,” Ramesh stated.

Echoing his words, TNGOs’ president, Swamy Goud vowed that the agitation would continue till the Centre introduces the Bill in the Budget Session.

Mr Goud also said that another demand of the employees is that the state government allot 42 per cent reservation for Telanganaites in all departments.