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Noida, Feb 21 (IANS) A day after violence rocked this suburb of the national capital, 400 of the 1,200 industrial units resumed work Thursday on the second day of a nationwide strike called by major trade unions to check inflation, ensure jobs and enforce labour laws, an official said. "Although 30 percent of the units operated today (Thursday), that too under heavy police security, especially in Phase II area, yet 60 percent of the industries were still not operating despite the police from (adjoining districts of) Ghaziabad, Meerut, and Bulandshahr being summoned," said Vipin Malhan, president of the Noida Entrepreneurs Association (NEA). "The srike has resulted in a loss of Rs.800 crore," Malhan said. Sixty companies (6,000 personnel) of police have been deployed in the wake of Wednesday's violence that saw 36 vehicles being torched and 120 damaged, apart from several industrial units being vandalised. Most of the violence occured in Noida Phase II. Police blamed the violence on "anti-social elements". "We have provided the sufficient security to Noida. The violence broke due to the involvement of anti-social elements," Additional Director General of Police (NCR), who is stationed at Meerut, said. Of the estimated 300,000 industrial workers in Noida, only 82,000 are permanent. According to industry body Assocham, which Tuesday urged the unions to withdraw the strike call, the economy would lose Rs.15,000-20,000 crore due to the two-day disruption.
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