Maoist strike disrupts transport along Mechi Highway

Vehicular movement along the Mechi Highway has been affected following a Maoist call of an indefinite strike in the area, reports said Sunday. The rebels had called the transport strike along the Mechi Highway since mid-July.

The strike has badly hit normal life in eastern hilly districts of Ilam, Pancthar and Taplejung. Major business centers in the districts have witnessed severe scarcity of ration, petroleum and medicines, among others.

Though security forces have started escorting public vehicles along the highway, transporters and suppliers are frightened to resume the service fearing Maoist backlash, reports said. Last week, the insurgents had torched passenger buses saying that operators defied the strike.

 Major towns like Pashupatinagar, Fikkal, Tinghare and Harkate remain shut. “We have witnessed scarcity of basic goods. We are not in a position to provide medicines to the sick people,” Kantipur daily quoted an Ilam-based pharmacist as saying.

The All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF), the Maoist trade union, has been observing an indefinite strike since mid-July expressing solidarity to the demands of laborers in tea factories.

Meanwhile, tea industry in eastern Ilam district has been hard-hit due to the strike, reports coming in say. Ilam produces over 80,000-kg crude tealeaves daily of which 30,000-kg would be exported to India. Nepalnews.com pd July 31 05