Briefing reporters after the first cabinet meeting of the coalition government today, Chief Minister Dr Wilfred D'Souza said earlier the recommendations of the third and fourth pay commissions had been accepted by the teachers who have struck work in response to a nationwide strike called to press for the pay scales recommended by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

However, the decision with regard to the implementation of UGC pay scales has to be taken by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development and not the state government, he said.

Replying to a query, he said the power situation in the state also came up for discussion at the meeting, and added that the common man was deprived of the supply because of `power guzzlers'.

It had been decided not to make any changes for the time being in respect of the 35 permanently registered such industrial units but those units which were in the process of implementation would have to agree to load staggering, he said.

The government would come down heavily on polluting units, he said in reply to a question.

CHENNAI: Meanwhile, the indefinite strike entered the 11th day today in Tamil Nadu with teachers holding demonstrations in 24 centres in the state.

Nearly 800 teachers from 12 government colleges and 40 aided colleges in and around Chennai, owing allegiance to the association of university teachers (AUT) and Tamil Nadu government collegiate teachers association (TNGCTA), held a dharna in front of the office of the directorate of collegiate education.

Tamil Nadu government collegiate teachers association general secretary Dr P Kalidoss said the strike would continue till their demands were met.