The government has directed district Collectors to strictly enforce the 'no-work, no-pay' rule against employees abstaining from duties as the indefinite strike started showing impact on the administration in the districts.

State Chief Secretary S V Prasad wrote letters to Collectors of Telangana districts directing them to act tough against the striking employees and implement the no-work, no-pay rule in accordance with directives of the High Court.

"We have been asked to closely monitor attendance of employees and not pay salaries to those striking work. We have been asked to send reports promptly on the attendance of employees," a district Collector told PTI.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who reviewed the impact of the strike with the Group of Ministers and top officials here tonight, appealed to all the employees and the employees' associations to end the strike to ensure implementation of welfare schemes and development programmes.

A press release from the Chief Minister's Office said Kiran Kumar Reddy issued instructions to officials to "minimise hardship to the public, particularly the poor" due to the indefinite strike in the region.

He also directed the State Road Transport Corporation authorities to make alternative arrangements as its employees too were set to strike work from the 19th.

He has also directed that power supply be maintained "with least disturbance", the CMO release said.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that there was "slow improvement" in the attendance of workers in the Singareni Collieries coal mines.

Deputy Chief Minister Damodara Rajanarasimha, Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy, Chief Secretary S V Prasad and other senior officials attended the meeting.