HNLC twenty four hours bandh peaceful

SHILLONG, AUG 11: The twenty-four hours bandh of the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) was almost total with most of the people choosing to stay home as business establishment and educational institutions remained closed. No untoward incident was reported from any parts of the city.

The bandh began from Tuesday 6 pm and will end at 6 pm Wednesday

Except for the government offices, all other offices were closed including the financial institutions as the banks reported just about fifty percent attendance and had to be closed.

However some vehicles, mostly government and some private including taxis were seen plying on the road. The state transports buses were also seen plying in different parts of the city.

East Khasi hills district SP M Kharkhrang informed this website that the no incidents were reported since last night from any parts of the city. He said, “So far it is peaceful and nobody has been arrested so far.”

The state government had made adequate security arrangement to ensure that there was no untoward incident even as it urged the public to defy the bandh and had urged the state government officials to attend offices.

Giving statistic of the state and central government offices, a home department official claimed that in the East Khasi hills the attendance was 81.6 percent, West Khasi hills 59 percent, West Jaintia hills 85 percent, East Jaintia hills 55 percent, South West Khasi hills 65 percent and Ri Bhoi district 65 percent.

The HNLC had given the twenty four hours bandh call that began on Tuesday 6 pm to protest against the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on rat-hole coal mining in the state. The outfit said that such ban will directly and indirectly affect the livelihood of many people who are depending on mining for many years now.- By Our Reporter