Banking hit, nurses join stir

Govt offices shut

At the district collectorate, the Citizen's Facilitation Centre had remained shut for two days, on Shiv Jayanti on Tuesday and the strike on Wednesday. Officials stated that almost all the employees were on strike and no work could be executed. The collectorate officials maintained that almost 95 per cent class-III workers and about 87 per cent of class-IV workers stayed away from work. "The offices wore a deserted look and almost all work will have to be kept on hold for another day,'' an official stated.

Bank work STUCK

Transactions worth Rs 1,000 crore were hit owing to the bandh. "With almost all nationalised banks closed, work has been affected even as adequate stock has been put in ATMs. However, it may not be adequate as stock was deposited ahead of Tuesday, which was Shiv Jayanti, which was a holiday,'' said employees participating in the strike.

Besides the demonstration at Lok Mangal on Wednesday, they plan to have another before the labour commissioner's office with the support of domestic workers.

Hospitals affected

With nearly 100 nurses under the aegis of Maharashtra State Nurses Federation joining strike and chemists shutting shops, government hospitals had to make alternative arrangements to ensure patient services are not hampered. Anuradha Athawale, President of the Federation said that 550 nurses from Sassoon General Hospital joined the stir while the remaining did not report to work at other state-run hospitals.

At Sassoon, Dr D G Kulkarni pointed out that while 75 per cent of the 575 Class IV personnel were on duty, it was only the nursing staff that joined the stir.

"However, services were not hampered as we had interns, student nurses and others providing patient care," he said. Aundh General Hospital and Regional Mental Hospital too made alternative arrangements.

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