Friday, September 20, 2013

Western Odisha bandh call: Several districts stay away

The New Indian Express (Bhubaneswar), Sept. 20, 2013
The dawn-to-dusk bandh call given by the Central Action Committee (CAC) of All- Western Odisha Bar Association (AWOBA) hit normal life in several districts on Thursday. However, it was business as usual in some other places such as Kalahandi and Balangir districts. The bar associations of these districts have steered clear of the bandh since both the bodies have been demanding HC bench in their respective districts.
Shops and business establishments were closed and the bandh was total in Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh and Sonepur. Educational institutions, Government offices, courts, banks and financial establishments also remained closed in Western Odisha districts.
Heavy vehicles were stranded on both sides of NHs passing through the district with lawyers staging road blockades. A large number of passengers were stranded at different railway stations and bus stands due to blockade at Sambalpur and other places by the bandh supporters, which led to cancellation of several trains. CAC Convenor Ashok Das said the bandh was a success.
In Sundargarh, barring Rourkela, life across the rest of the district was hit as three bar associations resorted to a dawn-to-dusk shutdown. The bandh apart, suffering of the common man knew no bounds due to the prolonged closure of government offices.
However, Kalahandi district rejected the bandh call. There was bandh on Sept 16 called by the District Bar Association to step up demand for an HC bench in Bhawanipatna. The joint action committee clarified that it is having no truck with Sambalpur or western Odisha Kriyanusthan Committee and not supporting the western Odisha bandh call.

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