Opposition UDF observes hartal in Kerala's hill district of Idukki

Idukki: The opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) observed a hartal in Idukki district of Kerala on Friday in protest against land and agricultural issues.

Shops in a majority of the hill district's areas remained closed during the dawn-to-dusk hartal, which began at 6 am.

Vehicular traffic was affected in some parts of the district, but the operation of the KSRTC, the state-run transport service, was not affected.

Police said private cab services carrying tourists were also not affected by the protest.

The shops in Idukki and Munnar, a well-known tourist destination, remain closed.

The hartal was called by the UDF, demanding the withdrawal of the construction ban in panchayats near Munnar, the cancellation of the state government order of 2019 banning all construction activities under the Cardamom Hills Reserve (CHR) area, and the exclusion of human settlements from buffer zone limits.