AP government not to pay striking employees

HYDERABAD: With the general strike for a separate Telangana state intensifying on the 10th day, the Andhra Pradesh government Thursday decided to implement the no-work-no-pay rule.Over 400,000 government employees in Hyderabad and nine other districts of Telangana are on strike since Sep 13 to press for creation of a separate Talangana state.At a high-level meeting called to review the impact of what has been calelde "the people's strike", Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy directed the officials to deduct salaries of those government employees who are participating in the stir and abstaining from work.Official sources said participating employees would not get paid for the days they have stayed away from office or work.The decision was taken as the strike has crippled administration. Besides government employees, teachers, staff of the state-owned Road Transport Corporation (RTC), Singareni Collieries Company Limited, lawyers and other sections are participating.The widespread general strike has paralysed public transport, brought coal production to a standstill and caused a shortage of electricity, interrupted schools and colleges.Doctors in government-run hospitals in the region also have joined in by boycotting all hospital work and services other than emergency services.Reacting to the chief minister's decision, Joint Action Committee leader Swami Goud said the strikers were ready to make any sacrifice."We have not gone on strike for salaries," he told a massive public meeting at Khammam Thursday evening.He also appealed to people to stand by the employees and not to visit government offices as long as the strike continues.