Sohela: The Nagarika Committee Wednesday called for a dawn-to-dusk bandh demanding sub-division status for Sohela in Bargarh district.
The 12-hour bandh crippled normal life in the area as shops, business establishments, schools, colleges, banks and government offices remained closed on the day.
However, the vehicular traffic was not disrupted and emergency services such as police, health services and fire service also remained on wheel as it was kept out of purview of the bandh.
The Nagarika Committee has been demanding sub-division status for Sohela since long, any action in this regard is yet to be taken by the State government.
The bandh was supported by all political parties, journalist associations, ‘Krushak Bikas Manch’, ‘Marwadi Yuva Manch’, Lawyers’ association and several other committees.
Among others, Nagarika Committee president Pramod Chand Debata, Anil Pradhan, Balbir Singh Thakur, Lalit Kumar Agarwal, Nathuram Agarwal, Govind Sahu, Advocate Ashok Kumar Barik, Dillip Kumar Khamari, Sushant Mishra, D.K. Mohapatra, farmers’ leader Jaykrushna Sahu, Durga Charan Behera, Mohan Behera, Narayan Vesra, Jashoband Behera and Sambhu Agarwal were present during the observation of the bandh.
“Though, Sohela is the largest block of Padmapur sub-division in Bargarh district and possesses all required criteria for getting the status of a sub-division alone; we are demanding a sub-division status by combining Bijepur, Melchhamunda and Sohela areas,” said the Nagarika Committee president.
Though the agitators have been picketing at several places, there were no reports of violence till filing of this report.
PNN
