APNGOs to go on strike from August 12

Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association on Tuesday served an indefinite stir notice on the government demanding that the state be kept united failing which they would go on strike from August 12.

A delegation of APNGOs Association, led by its president Ashok Babu, met Chief Secretary P K Mohanty in the Secretariat and handed over the strike notice.

The APNGOs earlier set August 12 as deadline for all elected representatives, including Union ministers, from Andhra-Rayalaseema regions to quit their posts failing which they threatened to launch an indefinite strike. All government employees, teachers and employees of government corporations will take part in the strike if the Centre immediately did not withdraw the move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh, Ashok Babu told reporters after meeting the Chief Secretary.

Referring to AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh's statement that the three-member committee, headed by Union Defence Minister A K Antony, would look into the demands of Andhra-Rayalaseema people and ensure no injustice was done, the NGOs leader said: In that case, let the Centre keep its decision (to divide AP) in abeyance till the committee submitted its report. Already, government employees in Andhra-Rayalaseema regions have been taking part in the ongoing agitation against the proposed division of the state.

Municipal employees and workers have stopped all civic services in urban local bodies in Andhra-Rayalaseema since yesterday and they are likely to continue the stir indefinitely. On the other hand, employees of the AP State Road Transport Corporation are also likely join the strike from the 12th. The RTC services are badly affected because of the widespread agitation in all the districts in the regions.