‘Mahabandh’ affects life in Western Odisha

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Sambalpur: Normal life was paralysed in Western Odisha districts Thursday, on the first day of a 48-hour shut-down called by lawyers demanding setting up of a permanent High Court bench in the region, police said.
While train services were affected, vehicular movement virtually came to a grinding halt in the region during the “Mahabandh” called by the Central Action Committee (CAC) of All Western Odisha Bar Association (AWOBA).
At least nine trains were cancelled, while five others were partially cancelled and three trains diverted in view of ‘rail roko’ held by bandh supporters at several places including Sambalpur, Hirakud and Sambalpur City, an East Coast Railway (ECoR) official said.
Roads wore a deserted look as movement of vehicles including passenger buses and trucks stopped playing in at least seven districts like Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Subarnapur, Jharsuguda, Bargarh and Nuapada, the police said.
A large number of commuters were left stranded at several places due to disruption of train services and non-plying of passenger buses, they said.
Shops, business outfits, educational institutions and government offices remained closed due to the bandh. Some examinations scheduled to be held Thursday were postponed.
Emergency services like health care, ambulance, water supply have been kept out of the purview of the bandh.
Spokesperson of the Central Action Committee of AWOBA, Sureshswar Mishra said the stir was supported by major political parties including BJD, Congress and BJP. Trade unions, farmers’ outfits, civil societies and several social and cultural organisations have also extended their support to the bandh, he said.
The longstanding demand of establishment of permanent High Court bench in western Odisha must be met without further delay and both the state government and the Centre should take quik steps in this regard, Mishra said.
Meanwhile, Bolangir Bar Association has decided to launch a separate agitation for setting up of the High Court bench in Bolangir and called for a bandh in the district December 3.