BARISAL: The Municipal sweepers and ‘Mehtars’ are on strike since August 11, the reason for the strike not having been notified as yet. The Municipality has issued an appeal to the rate-payers to assist themselves by clearing their own premises and some gentlemen of the town have volunteered their services for doing the work of sweepers and ‘Mehtars’.

The Bar Association at an extraordinary meeting condemned such a strike and congratulated those who have offered their voluntary services for scavenging work. A specific case has been started in the Saddar Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s Court under the Bengal Municipal Act against one of the alleged ring-leaders of the strike.

[Meanwhile, according to an agency report], Bombay gets 1,000 to 1,500 bags of potatoes daily. But at present the city is able to import only 200-300 bags daily. Hence the steep rise in the price of potatoes. The present meagre source of supply is Disa and Ahmedabad — and even this source may soon dry up, as the season will close within a few days. The main cause of the threatened potato famine is the restriction imposed by the Government of Madras on its export to Bombay.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2018